


Heathers: The Chansaw Edition

by HereForTheFanfic13



Category: Heathers (1988), Heathers: The Musical - Murphy & O'Keefe
Genre: F/F
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2020-03-19
Updated: 2020-12-30
Packaged: 2021-02-28 18:33:20
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Rape/Non-Con
Chapters: 13
Words: 26,425
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/23211808
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/HereForTheFanfic13/pseuds/HereForTheFanfic13
Summary: What if? What if JD wasn't a homicidal maniac? What if JD was not the person Veronica got a crush on? What if Heather Chandler's ice cold heart could be melted? Here's a story for all of you Chansaw shippers and 'Heathers' fans alike.A/N: I thought I'd add my own two cents to the fan fiction about Heathers. I do NOT own 'Heathers' or 'Heathers the Musical' all rights go to the creators.I will update as often as possible (at least once or twice a week). I hope to get most of this done during my extended spring break so we'll see how this goes.Also, I am a weird perfectionist so you may see that some things in the chapters change. Don't worry, it's just me fixing missed gramatical errors or inconsistencies in my writing.
Relationships: Heather Chandler/Veronica Sawyer
Comments: 36
Kudos: 307





	1. Beginnings

**September 1st, 1989**

_Dear diary,_

_Being at the bottom of the food chain doesn't feel any better as a senior. Oh yes, high school has changed many of us. This year has brought some nostalgic memories from what feels like forever ago. Before. When things were simple and nice and people weren't such assholes. I-_

Veronica jumped as the first bell rang.

I packed up my diary with the blue pen I had been using, and placed them into my grubby green messenger bag. I stood and started up the stairs, praying that I would be able to get up them without being harassed by some jock. Just as I crested the crowded steps, I felt my text book leave my hands. A smack echoed through the stairwell.

When I bent down to pick up the book, someone stopped me. I looked up and saw Ram Sweeney sneering at me with a satisfied glint in his eyes. Ram, third year as linebacker, eight year of smacking shit outta people's hands and being a huge dick. Despite thinking of the myriad of ways to punch Ram, I pushed down that anger and just rolled my eyes, trying to move away from him. He was too busy gloating to notice my departure. _I was used to this. I could handle this for one more year._ At least, that's what I'd keep telling myself.

Just as I made it to my locker, I see Them. It was the Heathers. They floated down the hallway in a way only they could. The crowd around them split as their heels clicked in unison. Despite myself, I became entranced by the ethereal group as they came closer to me.

There were three people in the Heathers.

First, there was the cheerleader, Heather McNamara. She is Loaded (that's right, with a capital "L"). Her dad owns a well renowned jewelry shop. She rocked a plaid yellow blazer showing a two shades of yellow and black accents. This was paired this with a simple, yet elegant pleated black skirt. Her golden locks, heart shaped face and large brown eyes pinned her as a stunning example of classic American beauty.

Then there was Heather Duke, who as far as I know, has no discernible personality, but her mom did pay for her implants. Her rich emerald green blazer with silver buttons stood out the most about her apparel. She has strong brown hair with red undertones that are highlighted by the green of her jacket. Her dark eyes hold a dangerous glint to them that say, "fuck with me and regret it."

And last but not least, there was Her. Heather Chandler. She rose above the rest. She wore her legendary blood-like blazer which stood contrasted by her grey plaid skirt. With this outfit, she made her presence known to the entire student population. Her shining blonde hair came down as lightly curled waves and her goddess-like face was paired with a set of ocean blue eyes. Despite her angelic features, her countenance held a certain malice to it that gave me good reason to understand how she had come up to the top of the food chain at Westerburg. In short, Heather Chandler was...a mythic bitch.

I caught myself gawking at the Heathers. When the trio had made it far enough down the hallway, everyone unfroze and the whispers about their new outfits began. Shaken out of a trance of my own, I closed my locker and continued to class. Everything seemed to be normal until lunch time came around.

In the lunch line, I found my best friend since, well, diapers. Martha Dunnstock. She was dressed in one of her favorite purple sweaters with a unicorn on the front. As far as I know, she's the only one who could pull it off so well. When Martha turned around, her round face held a bright smile.

"Hey Veronica!" She exclaimed.

"Oh, hey Martha." I replied. Still annoyed from my earlier encounter with Ram.

"Are we still on for movie night?" She asked, a concerned look crossing her features.

I backpedaled, she didn't need to worry about me."Of course! You're in charge of popcorn. What movie did you rent?"

"You don't know? _The Princess Bride_ , of course!" She stated this like I should have this down already.

"Haven't you seen that like, a million times?" I asked, a smile beginning to creep onto my face.

"Well, I am a sucker for happy end-"

**Smack.**

Ram had stuck again. No, wait. This time the smacking had come from none other than Kurt Kelly. He's the smartest guy in the football team. Which, is like being the tallest dwarf. This was the last straw, I lost all patience to try and grin and bear it like I had the past three years. I was so angry, I did something unimaginable.

"HEY!" I yelled, making Kurt jump and lose his composure for a second. Only a second though. He wheeled on me.

"I'm sorry, are you talking to me?" He drew himself up to his full height, like he was about to square up. I gulped.

"Yes. Pick that up, right now." I glared back at him. Trying to keep my tone even and voice firm. He just scoffed.

"You heard what I said. What makes you think you can pick on my friend like that?!" I was teeming, about to boil from my own anger. I felt my cheeks begin to redden.

"You're friends with Dumptruck over there?" Kurt asked, making it seem like I must be the most unlucky person in the world to be stuck with Martha. This make me angrier.

"Did you not hear me dumb ass?!" I was reeling. "You're just a high school 'has been' waiting to happen." I grinned, satisfied by my quick thinking.

I almost lost my gusto when Kurt walked closer. He peered down at my face. I saw his mouth twitch as he said,

"Is that a zit there on your forehead?" I blanched, taking a step back. With that movement, I lost. The entire student body broke out laughing.

Having lost my appetite and pride, I handed my lunch to Martha and bolted out of the cafeteria. I headed to the nearest bathroom and scrambled to the last stall. I sat there for a few moments, feeling sorry for my entire existence. Tears streaming down my eyes. Whatever anger that had pushed me to such painful measures was now gone and been replaced with self-pity. I hated that.

After pulling myself together some, I began concocting one of my forged hall passes to get out of my next period. I wiped my eyes and blew my nose. I decided that I would just sit here, on a gross toilet, until I could gather enough courage to face the rest of the day.

Just as I had calmed down enough to start writing in my diary, I heard the distinct click-clacking of the the lipstick gestapo themselves. I began praying that they wouldn't make their way into the bathroom. But that was futile. The clicking stopped momentarily and the door swung open. I braced for impact and pulled my legs up so that I wouldn't be seen by them.

I held my breath. Just then, I saw Heather Duke's distinct green jacket move to one of the stalls. Soon after, I heard the sound of someone retching into porcelain. I tried not to gag.

"Grow up Heather, bulimia is so '87." Stated the queen bee herself.

"Maybe you should go see a doctor, Heather." A normally bubbly voice stated. Concern evident in her tone as yellow fabric shifted uncomfortably.

"Yeah, Heather, maybe I should." Said Heather Duke in a tired voice.

Suddenly, another pair of heels sounded as they marched down the hall. The Heathers became quiet and everyone in the bathroom was silent. The door opened with an accompanying sigh.

"Ah, Heather and Heather." Duke gagged. "And Heather."Stated Ms. Fleming. Loathing evident in her voice.

At that moment, I got an idea. I quickly added the names of each of the Heathers onto the hall pass and prepared to make my move. I didn't have to wait long.

"Well, I suppose you didn't hear the bell ringing over the sound of puking. You are all late without a hall pass. A week's detention for all of you." Ms. Fleming said, seemingly satisfied with her punishment. This was my que. I burst out of the stall with my forged pass in hand.

"Actually Ms. Fleming, we do have a hall pass. It's for yearbook committee." I stated confidently, I knew my forgeries would hold up to this blind bat's eyesight.

The aging woman squinted at the paper and shook her head. "Looks good enough to me, now hurry up and get to class." The Heathers and I nodded in unison. Ms. Fleming turned around and left the bathroom.

When her loud heels had almost completely faded, the Heathers turned on me. I gulped down the lump in my throat. Trying to breathe before speaking. Heather Chandler stepped forward. Any hope I had of catching my breath left me as she got closer. I nearly fainted when she grabbed my hand and picked the forged pass from my fingers. She really was as intimidating as I had imagined. She wasn't always like this though. Not before.

She held me there as she appraised the note.

"This is an excellent forgery." Stated Chandler in her signature bitchy tone as I tried to hold eye contact. I couldn't bear the searing blue eyes as they gazed into mine.

I tried to step back and looked away. Heather however, held onto my hand firmly. I began to panic.

"What do you want, whatever your name is?"

Said Chandler, sounding both curious and bored at the same time. I somehow managed a breath.

"M-my name is Veronica Sa-Sawyer. I cr-crave a boon." I not to much as said, but stuttered out. Heather smirked and I lost my voice yet again. Her voice was filled with mischief as she asked,

"What boon?" My eyes instinctually shot up to hers. It held intrigue and playfulness.

I looked away from her eyes and tried to focus on the white collar of her shirt, a stark contrast to her red blazer. I asked my price for the forgery.

"Um, let me sit at your table during lunch. Ju-just once. No talking necessary. If they think you guys tolerate me, thentheywillleavemealone." My voice became faster as I saw how Heather's smile grew, making me nervous. I heard Heather Duke laugh as Chandler looked back to the other girls. Just as she was about to open her mouth, I continued.

"I can also do report cards, permission slips and absence notes." At this I willed myself to look Heather in the eye. Her ocean blue globes had narrowed at my sudden burst of vocal clarity and she pulled me even closer.

"How about prescriptions?" Sounded Heather Duke. At this Chandler snapped her head back to yell,

"Shut up, Heather!" I shuddered at her tone. And the reply of, "Sorry, Heather." Made me cringe.

Then, the heat was back on me. I could smell Heathers intoxicating perfume as she peered down at me. The heels giving her a few inches on me. I looked up in hope and fear. I thought, _God, she must love this power she has on people. She's got to be some kind of narcissistic mani-_

Her hand shot from my hand to my face and I lost all train of thought. Her fingers tilted my chin up and all around as her gaze began to really take in my face. I closed my eyes, willing my heart rate to calm down. I couldn't look weak, not now. After what felt like an eternity, Heather began to speak.

"For a greasy little nobody, you do have good bone structure." Chandler noted in a very direct manner. Yet, there was something about her tone that threw me off.

"Also, your face is symmetrical, that's good." Said McNamara. She was smiling genuinely. Out of the three Heathers, I liked her the most. Chandler nodded her head, her gaze never leaving my face. It was oppressing.

"Darling, I hope you know what you've signed up for. Come on girls, you too Ver-oni-ca. We're going to make you beautiful." Chandler stepped back from me and I was able to breathe freely again. They moved together toward the door. I trailed behind them as we left the school, Chandler's sweet perfume burning itself into my memory.


	2. Beautiful

I still couldn't believe my luck the next day. I was sitting in a corner of the library, writing in my diary.

_Dear diary,_

_I guess I'm a "Heather" now. I simply asked to sit with them once at lunch, but somehow I've been accepted as a member of the group. Yesterday was a long one. So long in fact, that I didn't even finish my diary entry. Sorry about that, by the way._

_Well, first we went to the mall to get what I've decided to call a uniform. It's a blue blazer, my favorite color. I don't know how, but Heather Chandler picked it out for me as if she knew that I liked blue. Next, we stopped to get makeup to fit my complexion and assigned uniform color. It was a whirlwind of trying clothes on and finding the right eye shadow. Even now it makes my head dizzy to think about it all._

_It was nice that I didn't have to pay for any of the clothing or makeup. Heather Chandler insisted on paying, despite my protests of at least letting me to buy my own blazer. After the shopping trip, we all headed to Heather McNamara's house. There they taught me about how to style my hair and how to apply their style of makeup. It was a lot, to say the least._

_I hope that I can fit in someday. It felt so nice to be accepted and noticed instead of ridiculed for once. I just hope I didn't forget anything important yesterday..._

_Oh shit! I totally spaced about movie night! How had I forgotten? I'm going to find Martha, write to you later!_

I shoved my things into my brand new backpack and rushed out of the library. Mrs. Connors, the librarian, glared at me as I shot her an apologetic look. I stumbled into multiple people as I raced towards Martha's locker. I thought, _That's strange, no one has yelled or shoved at me yet._ I couldn't think about that now though, I needed to apologize to Martha ASAP.

I caught sight of her pink sweater in the hallway and rushed towards it, failing to notice the parting crowd. I grabbed her shoulder from behind and wheeled her around to face me.

"Who are you? Oh. My. God. Veronica?!" Martha exclaimed.

"Yeah...I have a lot to tell you. Let's go somewhere out of the way." I said, preparing to try and explain what had happened yesterday.

We reached a quiet stairwell and we both sat down. I started to word vomit.

"Oh, I am so sorry, Martha. I can explain. I-"

"Veronica, I know." Martha interrupted.

"What?"

"I know what happened yesterday. I tried calling your house to see when you were coming and your mom answered. She said that you had rushed in to check in with her then went out with some other classmates. You spent the afternoon with the Heathers, right?"

I nodded my head, feeling like the worst human being on Earth.

"I'm still so sorry. It's totally my fault."I looked at her and she seemed so disappointed in me. I would have rather her be mad at me. Heaven knows I deserved it at the moment.

Martha stood, offering me a truce hug. It was something that we had come up with years ago when one of us messed up and the other was upset. We never wanted to end things on a bad note so we had come with this idea to help with the negative feelings. I stood up and took her truce. I repeated again and again how sorry I was for ditching out on movie night.

I promised never to be so short sighted ever again and then we both walked to our first period together. But peace was not yet fully reached between us. I had broken her trust, and now I needed to earn it back.

———————————————————————

 _Okay, this is weird._ I thought to myself.

_Why is everyone staring at me? All I did was change my outfit, fix my hair and put on some makeup. I can't look that different._

I almost bolted from first period when everyone in the room had stopped talking and looked at me in awe. This was so not normal. Most of the time I was invisible. If I wasn't, then I was pushed around. Had becoming a "Heather" really changed all that?

I sat down in my usual spot and took out my notes as Mr. Hansen began his math lecture. I took a deep breath and looked around. Yep, some people were still staring. I tried to ignore them and focus on the lesson, but to no avail. I eventually sat my pencil down and glared at the clock, hoping to make it move faster. After what felt like an eternity, the bell finally rang.

I ran from the room and bumped right into Heather Duke. She was about to snap at the unfortunate soul unlucky enough to cross her path when she noticed who it was.

"Oh, it's you." Said Duke in a biting tone. I cringed and was about to move away when she said,

"It's nice to have found you to soon. I was sent by Chandler to find you and bring you to her. Now hurry it up." Duke began to move away and I rushed to her side, trailing slightly behind.

It was study time on all of our schedules, so I was not surprised when we began heading in the direction of the library. Once inside, Duke led me to a corner I had used many times. In there, I found Heather McNamara and Heather Chandler discussing something. When McNamara noticed our approach, she stopped talked and looked to us. A growing smile lighting up her features.

The other Heather also looked to us, although I would not say it was a smile that crossed her face, it was more sinister to me. Both Duke and I sat down in the nook. Chandler was, of course, the first to speak.

"Geez...what took you so long Duke? I thought you'd never get here."

Duke just shrugged her shoulders at this and said, "I brought her in time to talk though, didn't I?"

This drew a sigh from the queen who was looking critically at her impecable red nails. I was still holding my breath. Waiting for the next words to leave Chandler's mouth.

"Well, now that we're all here. Let's begin." With this, Chandler had brought out a pad of paper and a red pen. "It's time to come up with the lunchtime poll."

I almost instinctively rolled my eyes, but caught myself. I knew it wouldn't end well if Heather Chandler saw my annoyance at her "brilliant" idea for the yearbook.

"So Veronica, what do you think? I thought of a question earlier today on the way to school. It's goes like this, 'If you were sent to a desert island, which one famous person would you bring along?' I think it's simple and I can't wait to hear the answers." Heather Chandler said this with so much confidence, I couldn't help but nod my head in unison with the other Heathers. Then I realized that I needed to reply.

"Oh, well that's a great poll question! How do you come up with these all on your own?" I decided to be supportive and a suck up at the same time. It was the best line of action as far as I could tell.

Chandler nodded her head in agreement to my statement and soon the conversation turned to shopping and gossip. I tried to pay attention but I found my mind wandering. It took some iron will to prevent me from rolling my eyes or throwing out a sarcastic remark. _What had happened to me?_ I though to myself.

I needed a distraction from these thoughts. Now. I looked around the nook and spotted one of my favorite novels. _Oh, that's perfect_! I thought. I slowly inched towards the shelf which was close to my left and gingerly reached for the spine.

"And what do you think you're doing, Veronica?" I cringed at Chandler's cutting voice and pulled back, knowing I had been caught.

"Oh, nothing. I was just going to grab a book." I said quietly. I looked to each Heather. Duke was smirking deviously while McNamara shook her head. Chandler had a distracting pout forming on her face.

"Am I that boring when I talk?" Asked Chandler in a dangerous tone.

"N-no! Of course not! I was just preoccu-"

I stuttered out quickly and over enthusiastically.

"Do. Not. Ignore. Me. Ever. Again." Chandler enunciated each word carefully as her gaze broke through to my soul. I nodded. It was all I could do.

Then as soon as it had started, Chandler went back to her discussion. I listened aptly and didn't make a sound unless asked about something. This wasn't bad. I could totally handle sitting still and listening to for a few minutes. I was even included into the discussion when McNamara asked me,

"So how has it felt being popular so far?" I looked to her and smiled. I think she knew I had begun to feel bored and offered a great distraction.

"It's been...strange. People keep staring at me, even my best friend didn't recognize me at first." I cringed at the memory of this morning. It felt weird to not be invisible anymore. Everyone at the table laughed a bit at my statement. With McNamara saying,

"Better get used to that. We are always the talk of the school." I nodded my head. _No wonder everyone stared at me in first period. I was in the 'it' group of the school now. They all look to me for inspiration._ That thought stuck with me through the rest of the day.

At lunchtime, we all went to the popular tables to ask Heather's poll question. We got various answers from, "Harrison Ford as Indiana Jones," to "Bill Cosby for his comical nature and wholesomeness." I just nodded my head to each answer and noted down the most interesting ones.

After taking the poll, we all went to the table and sat down. Lunch was peaceful and all seemed right. I had gotten something that anyone in the school would given up everything to have. Status. Popularity. But it was at the cost of my only true friend. Was it worth it? I hoped so. If not, all of this status that I had gained so quickly would be truly meaningless.


	3. Being Heather

_Heather Chandler isn't bothered by anything._

That's my mantra. I looked into the mirror and wiped off a bit of my deep red lipstick where it had smudged. I admired my face in the mirror. After feeling satisfied with my makeup, I stood up.

My red blazer, a deep burgundy color, matched well with the plaid blue skirt I had picked out earlier this morning. I have always felt safer decked out in red, it has always been my go to armor against the outside world.

I grabbed the keys to my red Porsche and left my house. Speeding down the street to school. I didn't have anyone but the maids to say goodbye to so I didn't say goodbye at all. My parents weren't around anymore, they were too busy with work and travel. To be honest, they probably hadn't seen me off to school since I was in 4th grade.

This didn't matter though, I have always taken control of my own life. _I'm the queen bitch of Westerburg and no one gets in my way. No one gets me flustered, and no one ever will,_ I thought confidently. Though yet another voice in my head whispered, _No one but Veronica Sawyer._ My grip on the steering wheel tightened at that.

 _No. I will not think of her now._ I still hadn't come up with a reasonable enough excuse as to why I had let her into our exclusive group two weeks ago. I needed one soon though. The others were breathing down my neck about it. 

As I turned into the parking lot and parked next to Heather's Jeep, I took a few deep breaths. I had to calm my nerves before a long day at school. In and out. At the last exhale, I put on the bitchy expression that hadn't changed since freshman year. I rolled my shoulders back and exited my car.

I started walking towards the entrance, my eyes scanning for Heather and Heather. However, all I found was Veronica. _Great. Because I'm totally prepared to deal with her first thing in the morning._ I said to myself. _I can't with this right now._

I had just decided that I was going to blow past her until I noticed that her makeup was not up to the "Heathers" standard. I swore and began marching towards her. As I got closer, she noticed my presence. Fear creeped into her features. This wasn't an uncommon reaction from those who I approached at school, but something felt different with her. Instead of satisfaction, I felt awkward and ashamed. I thought, _What is wrong with me today?_

Once within speaking distance, I said,

"Well, fuck me gently with a chainsaw. Sawyer, we need to talk about your appearance." Luckily, my tone held its normal snarky attitude and I motioned for her to follow behind me. Despite my trepidation with being around her, I knew that the last thing I needed was for others to notice her subpar makeup job. I couldn't let our reputation be muddled by the newbie.

She was quiet behind me as we floated to the nearest bathroom. After locating the one near the cafeteria, I took a step back and kicked open the door. I've always had a passion for dramatic entrances. As the door slammed against the wall, I did not hesitate to burst in. Two freshman girls were inside gossiping about something unimportant. When they saw me though, they scurried out as fast as their spindly legs could carry them.

When the door closed, I turned towards Veronica. "Your makeup is not up to standard, Sawyer. We need to fix that, now don't we?" Veronica nodded her head, knowing full well that I had left no room for any other response.

I pulled out the makeup kit from my purse and grabbed the supplies needed to fix her makeup. I stepped towards Veronica and she began to back away. This annoyed me and I grabbed her face with more force than I intended. I winced at that inwardly but continued to look at the subpar job she had done this morning. As I looked over her face, I found my mind wandering. _She really does have good bone structure, her face is gorgeous._

I scolded myself. _This is NOT the time, Heather_! I was about to just pull away when I noticed the problem. _There_. I thought. Her lipstick was the wrong shade for the eye shadow she had applied. And speaking of eye shadow, it was clearly applied hastily. I shook my head, _will she ever learn?_

We spent several few long moments of awkward silence as I fixed the makeup on Veronica's face. It was hard to focus on just her eyes and lips. The eyes were the easiest to deal with. They were a warm chocolate color and I tried hard not to stare into them for too long. When it came to removing her lipstick, I felt my heart begin to beat a bit faster. I stared at her bare lips for a moment.

"Uhhh...Heather." Said Veronica trepidly. Her face looking both concerned and scared. That shook me out of my trance. I flinched.

"Harrumph, well it's hard to process how you could put on the exact opposite shade of what I instructed you to wear. Here, put this on." I handed Veronica a tune of lipgloss and turned to look at my own makeup. I was glad that I had somehow kept my cool. Thankful for the practice from these last few years as the school's head honcho.

Satisfied by my own appearance, I closed my kit and said,

"Can you write us a pass for missing first period?"

"Of course, just give me a second." Veronica said as she reached inside her bag to grab a piece of paper and a pen.

I tapped my foot impatiently. I hated to wait. However, as I stood there I finally came up with the perfect idea to explain why I had allowed Veronica into the "Heathers". _I'll just tell Heather and Heather that I let Veronica join because of her useful notes._ I smiled, satisfied with my made up excuse.

I would not admit my real reason for letting Veronica join my group. The reality was that I didn't exactly know why I had done it, and that fact scared me.

When Veronica finished the note, I took it from her and turned around, heading right of the bathroom and straight to my second period class. Veronica trailed behind me. We both shared the period together so one note would suffice.

While Mrs. Adams droned on about the themes in _Hamlet_ , my mind drifted to what activity the Heathers would do this afternoon. Shopping. Yes, that'd be a perfect activity. I became quite excited at this thought. Nothing could compare to the relief that shopping brought me.

I looked over to Veronica and thought, _she needs more clothes for her closet anyways, who knew someone could be so out of the fashion loop?_ With that, my mind was set and I was brimming with anticipation for later today.

———————————————————————

When the bell for lunch rang, I placed my books in my locker and headed to the cafeteria. As I strutted over to our preferred lunch table, I noticed that Kurt was trying to make a move on Veronica yet again. I sighed deeply and headed over to stop Kurt from harassing her.

As I moved in their direction, I heard two more sets of heels come up behind me. I smiled, knowing that whatever I said would be backed up by Heather and Heather. Before I got halfway there I was already speaking.

"Oh come on Kurt, I **know** you're not hitting on one of my friends. We've been through this before. No means no." My voice held a dangerous edge to it. Kurt stopped what he was doing and nervously turned towards me. My smirk grew as I noticed how scared he was of me and my crew. I thought, _Yes! There's that satisfaction, where was that earlier?_

As I got closer, Kurt moved further and further away from Veronica. Intimidation was my strongest talent and I loved flexing that power. It made me feel invincible. I looked to Veronica and she seemed to visibly relax. I gave her one of my bright, genuine smiles. She looked away. Was that the hint of a blush I see? I thought, _Huh, it looks like she still hasn't gotten used to me yet._

I grabbed Veronica's arm and pulled her behind me while saying,

"Let's go, Sawyer. Scum like him aren’t even worth our time." I heard Heather and Heather laugh behind me. Kurt looked embarrassed. _Good_. I thought, _That'll teach you not to fuck with my group._

We spent the rest of lunch gossiping and creating a plan for senior prom. Although I wanted to go shopping, only Veronica was free. I didn't mind spending time with her but she seemed to be everywhere around me lately.

Anytime I saw the flash of her blue blazer in my mind, my breath caught a bit. _I just don't like how she has thrown off the group dynamic._ I tried to rationalize. _That's why I get so offset by her presence. That's why I am inundated with thoughts about her all of the time. There is no other explanation,_ I decided.

The rest of my day at school was largely uneventful. My last class period was spent with me staring at the clock, willing it to go faster. I hated my economics class under normal circumstances, and for some reason today just felt longer and more arduous than ever before.

When the bell finally rang I was up and out of the classroom in a flash. At the door, I caught myself in this sudden break from my usual actions and changed my pace. I strutted down the hall, meeting little resistance. When I came to my locker, I was pleased to see that Veronica was already there. I greeted her when I got close enough for her to hear me.

"Nice job taking initiative, Sawyer. You saved me a lot of time from having to go around and track you down." My tone must've sounded friendlier than usual because Veronica gave me a look. I had no idea what it meant, but it was honestly the most reaction I had ever gotten out of her.

"Well, I thought I'd save more time for us to go shopping." She said cautiously. I scoffed.

"We both know that you hate shopping. Don't be a suck up." My voice was playful but also coated with an annoyed bite. I couldn't handle yet another person who always agreed with what I said.

"Okay you got me there. You're right, I despise shopping but I think it will be a good opportunity for us to get to know each other better." Veronica's tone seemed genuine. My heart skipped a beat. I began to take a step back but caught myself. I could feel my carefully crafted mask slipping.

"How very." I replied curtly as I turned towards the school exit.

I saw Veronica's blue blazer in the edge of my vision as we walked together towards my car. She walked confidently alongside me and I smiled. _She really has stepped into her role this past week_ , I thought to myself. Once both of us got into the vehicle, I placed the keys into the ignition. When the engine roared to life, I threw the gear in reverse and sped out of the parking lot.

As I raced along the road, I noticed how Veronica was stiffly hanging onto the dashboard to keep herself steady. I laughed a bit at the spectacle. But when she looked towards me, that laughter died quickly in my throat. Her face held true terror and that expression killed the fun. With my mood ruined, I slowed down considerably and she visibly relaxed.

"I think you just shaved 10 years off my life with that stunt, Heather." Said Veronica breathlessly. I shrugged my shoulder and continued looking forward, hoping she couldn't read my face. _What is going on?_ I thought to myself as I pulled into the mall parking lot. I hopped out the car quickly and walked hastily towards my salvation. _Shopping always fixes everything. Why wouldn't it work now?_


	4. Burning Memories

_Heather is right. I hate shopping_.

I grumbled to myself as I shuffled behind Heather to the next shop. We'd been here a while now and I was so done with this shopping trip. Just as we were passing a bench I decided that enough was enough and headed towards it.

"Oh come on, Sawyer. Just one more stop then we're done. Those bags aren't **that** heavy." Heather said, exasperated. She came over and sat next to me. I just let out a sigh and turned away, still annoyed.

"You know it's not just the shopping, Heather." I said, my voice showing my displeasure.

"Then what is it? You can't seriously expect me to read your mind and know what's up." I looked over to her with a look like 'seriously?' and just shook my head.

"This whole trip I've been stuck as your personal bag carrier. We've been here for two hours and this is the longest conversation between us. I thought we were going to hang out and get to know each other a bit more." I word vomited this, my usual quiet demeanor taking a backseat.

"Oh." Was all Heather replied.

I looked over to her. Her usual bitchy countenance was gone. We made eye contact and stared at each other for what felt like an eternity. Slowly, I felt my neck heat up and I looked away. I stared down at my shoes and tried to calm my nerves. After a long breath, I began to speak.

"Look, I understand that you are used to people doing things for you because you're SO special but that's not me. If this is what being a 'Heather' is like, then I don't want to be one." It took all of my courage to look up at my potential social executioner but I somehow did it. Heather's mouth was agape and her eyebrows had shot towards her hairline. After a second, she recovered and spoke.

"Jesus Christ, Sawyer. That's the ballsiest thing I've heard someone say to me in a long while. While I'm not going to apologize for making you drag my clothes around, I also won't socially destroy you. Let's go, I was getting bored here anyways." At that, Heather stood up and headed towards an exit.

I grabbed the bags and quickly trailed after her. I let out a breath I didn't know was holding and felt a pressure come off my chest. _That was weird. I totally thought she was going to crucify me._ I shook my head and shrugged my shoulders at that thought. _Well, who ever knows what Heather Chandler is thinking?_

When I made it to Heather's car, I carefully set her bags in the backseat and got into the vehicle myself. We silently sat there for a while and finally Heather started the engine. I braced myself for her crazy driving but it never came. This time she was still fast but it was controlled and smooth. After a few moments, Heather spoke up.

"Do-do you really not like being a 'Heather'?" She said, her tone was strong but also vulnerable. My eyes left their gaze on the window and focused themselves on Heather. Her face still held its hard look but her shoulders were also tense with anticipation. After a pause, I replied.

"I don't mind it, but if I'm to hang out with you and the other two, then I want to know about each of you. To be honest, this feels more like having a job than having friends." My voice was soft but I was serious about what I had said and Heather noticed that. Her shoulders relaxed a little but I could feel the tension still present in the car.

Heather continued driving silently. When we got to my house. I unbuckled my seatbelt and reached for the door. Just as my hand wrapped around the handle, I felt a hand on my shoulder. I stopped cold and turned back towards Heather. She let go and said,

"Okay, you're right. If you want to really hang out sometime just let me know, you have my phone number and the numbers of both Heather and Heather. Just give me or them a call." I just stared at her, surprised. It wasn't an apology but it was something, especially coming from the queen bitch herself.

At that, Heather looked away and put her car into gear. I jumped out of the car and shut the door. I looked back to see the car pull away. I watched it turn the corner and then headed to my door. I thought, _Maybe she's not as bad as everyone believes._

———————————————————————

Over the next few weeks, I hung around the "Heathers". We ate lunch together and I wrote them hall passes when they needed it. There was peace within the group but I still felt uneasy about Chandler. I looked towards her and noticed nothing different. Her tone was loud and her face held its mask in place.

It was hard to believe that the sweet girl from kindergarten had grown up to be like this. I still remembered about how it was way back when. We had all been friends. There was no judgement about who was rich or skinny or popular. It was strange to contemplate how much social pressures had pulled us all apart.

My thoughts went back to another time. When I had been friends with Heather Chandler. It was so long ago, I doubt if she even remembered about us. One memory stuck out above the rest.

_It was right before the beginning of first grade. Heather's family had decided to move to another place, closer to the company where her father worked as CEO. Even though we were only six, we knew that it would be a long time before we saw each other again._

_We had spent the whole day together, connected at the hip. We went to our favorite places on the playground and ate ice cream together underneath our favorite tree. When it came time for Heather to go, we both refused to move from each other._

_At last, Heather relented but before she left, she gave me her bracelet. It was a pretty silver color with red accents. I stared at it then back up at Heather. I gave her a big hug and pulled away._

_"Goodbye, Heather. I'll miss you!" I said, trying to sound strong._

_"I'll see you again, Roni! I promise!" Heather relied, using my nickname she had given me._

_I saw her get into her mom's car and leave. I cried for the rest of the day. Inconsolable. I never forgot Heather Chandler, and when she returned freshman year of high school, I barely recognized her. In fact, I hadn't realized who she was until her name was called during attendance in the class we shared._

_But that-_

"Sawyer, Sawyer, SAWYER." Someone yelled. I jumped out of my thoughts and my mind rushed to the present. Everyone at the lunch table was staring at me. I looked to each Heather. 

McNamara looked genuinely concerned, Duke looked apprehensive, and Chandler glared at me with a difficult-to-read expression. _Is she...flustered? I think I see a hint of a blush at her neck._ I thought to myself. Noticing my stare, Heather's face started to become tinged with pink as well. Then, Heather snapped.

"Did you have a brain tumor for breakfast?" Asked Chandler. I shook my head, still looking for my voice. 

"Yeah, it was really concerning Veronica. I thought you were having a stroke or something," said McNamara. I looked at her and gave her a smile.

"I'm fine! Really. I just didn't get a lot of sleep last night and I think it has taken its toll." I lied. Duke shook her head at this but went back to reading her copy of _Moby Dick_. After a few terse moments of quiet, Chandler spoke.

"Sawyer. Bathroom. With me. Now." She stood up abruptly and I followed suit.

We made our way to the bathroom near the cafeteria. I noticed that Heather was glaring at several others as we passed them. _What did I miss while I was lost in thought?_ I pondered. When the bathroom door closed behind us, Heather wheeled on me.

"What the hell is your problem?!" She shouted. I flinched back at this outburst and stuttered out,

"H-huh? What are y-you talking about?"

"You were staring at me for like two minutes straight. Everyone started to notice. It was unnerving!" She replied angrily.

I took a step back at that. _I did what?_ I thought, feeling my face grow hot. _What is wrong with me?_ I looked back up and nearly pissed myself when I saw that Heather had moved closer. I took a step back and another until I hit the bathroom wall. Heather stepped up and placed her right hand on the wall, leaning down to glower at me. She said,

"Care to explain yourself Veronica?" I swallowed and looked down to her shirt collar.

Then I gathered my strength and stepped closer to her. We were so close that I could smell her perfume again. My mind kind of felt foggy as I looked up to gaze into her eyes.

"You called me by my first name." I said playfully with a smile.

Heather jumped back, as if burned. I smiled slightly at that. I got a feeling of satisfaction and...something else at getting a reaction from her. I stepped from where she had pinned me, thankful that she had let me go. After composing my scattered thoughts, I finally responded to her question.

"Sorry about that. The staring at you, I mean. I honestly haven't been sleeping well lately and something just got me thinking about the past." I told a half-truth.

There was no way that I would tell Heather that she was the one who I had been thinking about. I saw Heather relax a bit at my response. And I took that as my que to leave.

"Hey, who said you could leave?" I heard Heather say behind me. I stopped dead in my tracks and turned around.

"Oh, I thought the conversation was done." I replied tentatively.

"Don't be such an airhead, you pillowcase." Said Heather with an annoyed sigh.

"Well, I'm here so...what else do you want to talk about?" I asked, curious.

"I was wondering if you wanted to hang out after school." Heather said in a straightforward manner. I winced knowing that I'd have to say no.

"Actually, I've already got plans today." I said, prepared for Heather to blow up.

"Well, I'm sure it's not important, right?" She said in reply. I took in a breath and said,

"I made plans with Martha and I've already blown her off. She's my friend and I can't do that again." I looked to Heather as I spoke. Her expression had darkened a bit at my words but she kept her temper under control.

"Well, I guess we're hanging out today." She said.

"Heather I just told you-"

"No. You, me and Dumptruck will hang out." She said, looking at her nails with feigned interest.

My mouth opened in surprise at that. Heather had made that statement seriously with no hint of mockery in her voice. Well, aside from saying Martha's last name wrong.

"Okay then. We're meeting at my house at four and Martha's last name is Dunnstock, by the way." I finally said.

Heather nodded her head and moved towards the door silently.

"Who said you could leave?" I asked, mocking her earlier statement.

"Shut up, Sawyer." She said over her shoulder as she pushed the door open.

"Hey, what happened to calling me 'Veronica'?" I yelled back with a laugh.

I followed behind Heather as she stormed off ahead. As I stared at the back of her retreating form, I thought to myself,

_Oh boy, tonight is going to be interesting._


	5. Bracelets and Movies

_What the fuck did I just sign up for?_

I asked myself as I parked outside of Veronica's house. I looked at the clock on my dash, I saw that it was 4 o'clock on the dot. I took a deep breath and got out of my vehicle.

As I neared the front door, it swung open and I stopped. It was an older woman who I assumed was Veronica's mom. She had Veronica's hair color, which was greying a bit at the temples. Her eyes were a lighter blue, which almost appeared grey. After motioning for me to step towards the door, she turned her head back to the house and yelled,

"Veronica, I think that Heather girl is here!" Turning to me, she said,

"Come on in, Hun. Veronica will be down in a minute. Do you want anything to drink?" I smiled in the most genuine way I could, replying with,

"Oh thank you Mrs. Sawyer, water would be nice." She nodded her head and moved towards another part of the house. I stepped in the doorway, surveying my surroundings.

I was just about to head towards what looked like the living room, when I heard someone coming down the stairs. I looked over and saw Veronica. She had changed from the appropriate "Heathers" outfit and into a pair of jeans and a comfortable looking blue sweater.

 _She looks really good in that loose sweater,_ I thought to myself without thinking. I instinctively took a step towards her. I found myself staring a little too long at her body and felt my neck begin to heat up. I looked away while clearing my throat. I looked back up and said, 

"Your mom seems really nice." It was the only thing that came to my mind besides, 'you look hot.' I stood by the door awkwardly and a moment of silence passed over us. Veronica moved to say something but just as her mouth opened, her mom walked in with my glass of water.

"Here you go. Your name is Heather, right?" She asked as I grabbed the glass.

"Um, yes. I'm Heather Chandler." I replied, without my usual charm. _Get your shit together, Heather. You look like a pillowcase!_ I yelled at myself internally. I looked over to Veronica. She stepped in, saying,

"Yep! Heather, this is my mom. Mom, this is Heather. Now that we've gotten to know each other, Heather and I will go upstairs until Martha arrives."

With that, Veronica grabbed my hand and dragged me up the stairs. I followed her, too distracted by the feeling of her hand in mine to notice that for once, she was the one in charge. When we made it to her room. She pulled me in and shut the door. She took her free hand and rubbed the temples of her head.After a few moments, she spoke up.

"Oh my God. My mom can be so embarrassing sometimes." I looked at her and smiled.

"It's fine. She was nice, much better than my mom." I replied with a bitter tone. Veronica looked up to me with a sheepish look.

"Oh, sorry. I didn't realize..." I just shrugged my shoulders and took in her room.

It wasn't as big as mine, but that was no surprise. She had blue accents scattered throughout her room which added to my theory that her favorite color is indeed blue. She had a twin bed over by the window and her cluttered desk had a journal that I knew she carried with her everywhere. Her room felt warm and welcoming.

I headed over towards the bed and I remembered that our hands were still connected. I removed my hand from hers hastily and felt the empty space that was left. Veronica stood by her door still, staring at her bare hand. _So she's just as flustered,_ I noted in my head. I patted a spot next to me on the bed and said,

"Hey pillowcase, are you just gonna stand there like a weirdo? Come sit down." Veronica made eye contact with me and came over. 

We sat there for a few seconds and I noticed that Veronica seemed to want to say something. I decided that I'd be direct if she wasn't going to,

"Okay. I know you're curious about something. What is it?" I nudged her shoulder and she flinched. She looked to me and said in rush,

"Why did you decide to hang out with me and Martha today? You didn't even say her last name right. Your henchmen Kurt and Ram sure as hell haven't been kind to her either." I gasped a bit at her statement, but I knew she was right. 

This **was** really weird for me. When I invited myself, my only thought was of Veronica and not the consequences. _This girl has my head spinning. I've never felt this way before about anybody. I feel like a love struck fresh- Holy shit! Do I like Veronica...like that?_ I thought to myself, standing up suddenly.

"Where's the bathroom?" I said quickly making my way to the door.

"Oh, down the hall on your first right." She replied, confusion showing in her voice. 

I was out of her room in a flash and went straight to the bathroom. I closed the door and sank to the ground. _Why am I like this?_ I asked myself. This wasn't the first time I'd felt this way. It just wasn't as strong. Before, I could ignore it or brush it off as normal things girls thought about.

I sat there for a few minutes, trying to calm myself down. _Breathe in and out. In and out_. I repeated to myself. When my breathing had stabilized enough for me to feel calm, I got back up and looked in the mirror. _I look like shit_. I thought to myself and started fixing my make-up the best I could. Satisfied with my job, I left the bathroom.

Just as I came to Veronica's bedroom door, there was a knock at the front one. Her door swung open and Veronica made a move to head downstairs. She stopped and looked at me as she passed, eyes full of concern. However, when she heard her mom open the door, she rushed down the steps. I heard,

"Hey, Martha! So a quick change of plans..."

I decided to go back into Veronica's room and grab my purse, then I headed downstairs. I looked over to the living room and lo and behold, there was Martha Dump- no, Dunnstock with Veronica on the couch. I cleared my throat and they both looked at me.

Martha was visibly nervous and Veronica's mouth was set in a grimace. In return, I summoned a genuine smile. I blithely moved towards the couch and sat next to Veronica. I politely said,

"Hi Martha, how are you?" My tone was still a bit cold but it didn't have a biting feel to it.

"..."

I looked over. Both Veronica and Martha sat with their mouths open and eye brows held in surprise. I laughed a bit at that and turned to the television. It still hasn't been turned on, so I took the initiative. I gently plucked the VHS tape from Martha's hand and placed it into the VCR player. I turned on the TV and sat back in my spot.

 _The Princess Bride_ flashed across the screen as the opening scene began. I exhaled deeply, preparing myself to be bored with a dumb romantic movie.

My boredom quickly switched to excitement as the movie played on. I got really invested with Inigo Montoya's storyline of revenge and I even warmed up to the romance between Westley and Buttercup. When Westley died, I yelled out,

"Oh come on! That can't be fair!" Martha looked over to me and smiled. She said,

"Just sit back and wait. The movie's not over yet." I did as she said, and folded my arms thinking, _this better fucking end well._

Veronica looked at me and smiled as well, I smiled back before I could process what I was doing. It was a bright, authentic smile and Veronica noticed that. She began to blush slightly and turned quickly back to the screen.

Towards the end of the movie, I noticed that Veronica was yawning a lot. _How can she be so calm about what's going on in the movie? Shit’s going down!_ I thought to myself. I shot Martha a look, trying to express my displeasure.

"Oh, I've made 'Ronica watch this movie like a million times already. She could probably mouth the lines along with the movie at this point." I just shook my head with a smirk and focused back on the movie.

As the end credits rolled. I looked down to see that Veronica had fallen asleep. She had her head against my shoulder and didn't look like she was moving anytime soon. I really liked the feeling of her against me and decided right then and there that I wouldn't move unless I had to.

I looked over at Martha and she too had noticed what had happened. I started getting nervous and shifted a bit. She laughed and said,

"I've got another movie for us to watch if you want. I'll go make some more popcorn. You can sit there and wait in the meantime." I nodded my head while saying,

"Sure, we can watch another movie. It's been a while since I've seen any films so this is just me catching up." I settled back down and began to close my eyes myself.

I moved my body to have my back against the armrest, trying to get more comfortable and give Veronica space. But the sleeping Veronica had other plans, apparently. She grabbed on to my shirt and rested herself on my front, with her face nuzzled against my neck. My face heated up and I tried to calm my breathing and ignore the knot that had formed in my lower stomach.

A few minutes later, Martha returned with the other movie and a bowl of popcorn. I prepared to say something along the lines of 'it's not what it looks like.' She took note of us silently and handed me the food. She popped the movie in and sat down.

The movie was _Airplane_ and it was surprisingly good. We watched it silently, laughing when something funny happened on screen. I thought to myself, _I haven't had this much fun in a long time. Maybe I should get Heather and Heather to do activities like this._ I knew McNamara would enjoy anything we put on and Duke had a soft spot for horror movies.

Part way through the film, I had gotten pretty comfortable with Veronica on me. I had calmed my heart rate and I no longer held a bright blush. I sighed in contentment and Martha shot me a knowing look. I grew a bit stiff at the implication but despite myself, I smirked back. Martha was about to say something but I heard Mrs. Sawyer call out,

"It's time for dinner, girls! Veronica, I made your favorite!" At that, Veronica shifted and opened her eyes. She saw her position and slowly removed herself from me. I felt cold at the lack of contact but was satisfied to see a blush on her face at the realization of where she had fallen asleep. She rushed off to the bathroom saying,

"I'll be right back! I've got to wash my hands before dinner."

I heard Martha chuckle behind me as we made our way to the dining room. Just as we were about to sit down, Martha looked to me and said,

"Be careful with her, will you?" My face warmed up and I nodded my head. Too embarrassed to say anything in return.

 _Am I that obvious?_ I questioned myself. Just then, Veronica walked in and sat down next to me. Her mom came in with a pan full of spaghetti and a tray of garlic bread. She went back into the kitchen and brought out a pitcher of water and a bowl of salad. We ate in silence for a bit and then Mrs. Sawyer decided to speak.

"I recognize the name Chandler. I believe I went to school with your father." She said as she looked towards me.

Her tone was friendly but her eyes held a sharp warning that said, 'I know how he acted. You better not be getting my daughter into trouble.' I swallowed at the threat, but knew it was coming from the totally reasonable assumption that I was trouble.

"Yes, well my dad was pretty crazy way back then. I try not to follow his example." I truly meant this. I may be a bitch, but I tried to stay out of too much trouble when I could.

Veronica's mother nodded her head, satisfied by my answer. The rest of dinner was spent talking about the movie we had watched, and Mrs. Sawyer asked me a few more pointed questions. I took those questions in stride, understanding that she just wanted her daughter to have good friends.

After dinner, I helped put the dishes in the sink and started washing them. Veronica and Martha came over as well and together we were able to wash and put them away in record time. When we had finished, Veronica bumped my hip and said,

"I never thought I'd see the day where Heather Chandler would be doing dishes on her own accord." She held a playful tone to her voice as she said this and I just replied,

"Hardy-har-har Veronica, how original. Rich kid doing chores, hilarious." I said in an equally playful way and a hip bump of my own.

We sat back down in the living room and continued the second movie. This time however, Veronica made sure to put some space between us. I was both relieved and disappointed at that decision, but I didn't say anything. When the movie ended, Martha got up and said something along the lines of,

"I've got to motor, lots of homework to do and stuff." She grabbed her two movies and left without another word.

"Okay, what did you do to Martha while I was asleep?" Said Veronica with suspicion lacing her voice. I scoffed and said,

"Actually we got along splendidly while you were asleep. We just finished the movie and started another one." I looked her in the eyes as a challenge for her to question the validity of my words. Whatever she saw there, she didn't react to it. I took that as my que to leave.

"Well, I'm going to head off. I may not look like it, but I like getting my homework done on time." I began to leave. 

"Wait. Do you want to do some of that homework together?" Said Veronica. I turned around and said, 

"Sure, let me get my bag from my car." I made a quick trip to my vehicle and grabbed my bag.

When I came back, I heard Veronica shout,

"Come upstairs!"

I went in the direction and made it up to Veronica's bedroom. She already had her work out on the bed and she pointed to her desk.

"You can sit there if you want."She said without looking up. I shrugged my shoulders and sat down.

After a half-hour of comfortable silence between us, Veronica spoke up again.

"I'm sorry for accusing you of bullying my friend. But you have to admit, it's weird for you to be nice to others."

I stopped what I was doing and looked back at her. Her eyes held an authentic look of apology and regret. My heart warmed at that. I offered a truce in return,

"It's fine. And you're right, I normally am a bitch, aren't I?" This was followed with a self-deprecating chuckle and I looked back to my work.

"You can be nice though." Replied Veronica.

I nodded my head and looked over her hastily cleaned desk. Just then I spotted something interesting, a bracelet. I reached for it tentatively and picked it up. It was small, like it was made for a child. It was silver and had red accents to it. For some reason, it felt familiar. Suddenly, a hand jumped into my line of vision and grabbed the bracelet from my fingers.

"Hey, don't touch that!" came Veronica's cry. I was too surprised to do anything other than turn to where she had moved.

"What's your damage?" I replied, my interest piqued by her reaction.

"Nothing. Just, don't touch this. It was a special gift that I got a while ago." Her tone was quiet, but in a defensive way. Like she was about to run out of her own room any minute.

"Who gave it to you?" I asked. _I have to know where she got it from, it's too familiar._ I thought as she took a deep breath. 

"I can't say." She said simply.

"That's it? Really? Don't tell me you had a kindergarten boyfriend who gave that to you." My voice dripped with sarcasm and I smiled until I noticed her face turn bright red.

"Oh. My. God. I was right, wasn't I? Ha, who knew you were a romantic, 'Roni." The name slipped from my mouth and my hand flew there, as if I could wind back time and stop it.

This really startled Veronica, because she jumped and her jaw nearly hit the floor. I held out my hand, expectantly. 

"Hey, I still want to see that thing. I recognize it from somewhere." My voice was demanding but also cautious.

When Veronica didn't move, I stood up and approached her carefully. She was too stuck in her own head to give me much resistance. I gently removed the bracelet from her hands and inspected it. There were no discernible markings, but I just knew that there was something about it that I couldn't let go.

"I'm taking this with me. I'll be careful, I promise. Wouldn't want to ruin a gift from your true love, now would I?" I said as I grabbed my things and headed out.

"You really don't remember, do you?" Said Veronica distantly as I made my leave. I had no idea what she's talking about but I stopped anyway.

"What do you mean, 'I don't remember'? I have a great memory." My tone showed my annoyance.

"How very. Well, take that with you. Maybe then something will click." She said in reply.

I shook my head in confusion but left her in her room. Once in my car, I placed the bracelet in the pocket of my red blazer. I felt a pang of something. Was it jealousy? _Why do I feel jealous?_ I thought. _What do I care if she had a stupid kindergarten boyfriend._ I put my car into gear and began the drive home. More confused than ever before.


	6. Brain Freezes and Meeting JD

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hi all!
> 
> I just wanted to say that there is a mention of suicide in this chapter. It’s nothing too substantial but I still want to let everyone know before reading. 
> 
> -Author

_Dear diary,_

_Today was meant to be a routine day at school but instead, it ended up being quite eventful. It all started when lunch began. The Heathers and I had moved to grab a seat when I saw him. He had the classic bad boy look with his slicked back hair and trench-coat. He had dark, almost black eyes that brimmed with mischief and intelligence._

_I was inevitably drawn to him like a moth to a flame. It wasn’t until I heard Chandler say, “Drool much, Veronica?” That I was able to snap out of my trance. I was so embarrassed. It wasn’t like I was into him or anything, it_ _was just that he had piqued my interest. “His name is JD or ‘Jason Dean,’ he’s in my history class.” Said McNamara from behind me. I took note of that and moved on from his stare._

_I have also noticed that my attitude about the “Heathers” has changed as well. I’ve started hanging around McNamara and Duke lately, and they have been really great to get to know. Duke and I have created a bond over the books we’ve read and it turns out that I was wrong about her. She may seem tough on the outside, but really she is just a book geek. McNamara and I don’t have much in common but we enjoy each other’s company. She’s a great conversationalist._

_I can’t say enough about how I was so happy to see that Heather treated Martha with the respect she deserved. As I get more acquainted with my new friends, I realize that maybe being a “Heather” isn’t a job after all._

———————————————————————

_How is it only Tuesday?_

I thought to myself as I sat in my government class. I had finished the worksheet ten minutes ago and I still had another fifteen minutes to kill before class ended. I pulled out my homework assigned to me in math earlier today but I gave up trying to focus long ago.

All I could think about was that weird kid, JD.

_He’d somehow found out where my locker was and I saw him waiting there for me this morning. I made an about-face and was about to just go to class when I heard the signature clacking of a certain pair of heels. I turned around and saw Heather Chandler making a bee-line for my locker.  
_

_“Hey trench coat freak, what are you doing at that locker?” She said, a bitchy tone and attitude on full force. I now knew that this was just a façade, but it still froze me in place._

_“Greetings and salutations. I was just waiting for someone I’ve been meaning to talk to.” Said JD, voice calm and posture relaxed._ That’s insane that he can withstand Heather’s withering glare. I thought. _This had me concerned, JD wasn’t just any old outcast_.

“ _Well I’d appreciate it if you would leave my friend alone. If you have to wait like a creep by her locker, then I doubt that she’s interested in you.” Heather had stood up to her full height so she could see him eye to eye. This seemed to get to JD a little bit and he backed-off._

_“I’ll be going then. Nice meeting you.” He replied lightly and headed down the hallway in the opposite direction of me._

Thank God, Heather scared him away. _I thought_. Although, I think I should get to know him better before passing judgment on his character. _That’s when Heather’s gaze snapped to mine. She was still in mythic-bitch mode, and I tensed at her attention. She noticed my apprehension and took in a deep breath._

_As she exhaled, her body relaxed and she shot a strained, yet genuine smile. I unfroze myself and made my way toward her and my locker. When I got close enough, Heather spoke._

_“Jesus Veronica, are you okay? Is that creep bothering you?” Her face was neutral, but her eyes were looking all over me and her voice was filled with worry and anger. I smiled up at her and said,_

_“I’m okay. Seriously. I think he’s just a lonely guy and doesn’t have much experience with people. Go a little bit easier on him, will you?” Heather scoffed at this like she was about to retort, but I gave her a look and she shut her mouth. I continued,_

_“But, I appreciate your protectiveness. I’ll let you know if I feel uncomfortable.” I gently nudged her shoulder and she moved out of the way. No longer blocked from my locker, I put_ _in my combination._

 _“Seriously Veronica? He gives off a bad vibe. Will you please be careful?” My hand stopped midway to my books and I looked back at her. She was leaning on another locker, facing down towards me. Her face had dropped its mask and she looked concerned. My own face drew pink at her attention, and I looked back_ _to my books quickly._

_“Okay. I promise I’ll be careful, but let me try to talk to him first.” Heather sighed loudly and moved back. She spoke again, her voice back within her control,_

_“Fine. Now, can you write us pases? We’re late for second period.”_

My mind focused back to my current surroundings and I looked to the clock. I only had to wait five more minutes for the day to be over. After a few torturous minutes, the bell rang and I packed up my stuff. When I reached the door, JD was there waiting.

“How did you know this was my class?” I asked apprehensively. He chuckled.

“I saw you enter it when I passed by the classroom in the hallway. Sorry to freak you out.” Was his response.

 _Reasonable enough._ I thought to myself. I stared at him in a way that said ‘well, get on with it.’ He smiled and spoke again.

“Would you mind hanging out today? We could head to a 7/11, I need my daily slushie.”

“Sure. I don’t see why not. I just need to put some things in my locker and then we can go. Sound good?” I asked him. He nodded and trailed behind me as I made my way down the hall.

When I got close to my locker, I saw that Chandler was waiting there for me. Staring anyone down who looked her way. I groaned internally. When she saw me, her eyes lit up and a smile grew on her face. When she saw who was behind me, however, that smile became strained. I grimaced, but pushed forward.

I tried playing everything off as normal, but Heather’s death glare and JD with his presence alone, made that all but impossible. Having placed my unneeded textbooks into my locker, I closed it and spoke.

“Hey Heather. So JD and I are going to hang out today.” I looked at her and she was not impressed. Her shoulders tensed up and her face was hard. I sighed and pulled her aside, giving JD a look asking for patience.

We stared at each other for a second and I nearly lost my nerve for what I was about to say. I opened my mouth to speak, but Heather beat me to it.

“Are you asking to be murdered or kidnapped Veronica? I said I’d allow you to get to know him, but I just don’t like his stupid look or anything about him.” Her tone was soft but annoyed. Her face had once again taken off its mask and she appeared so vulnerable to me. I took a breath and responded with,

“Look Heather, you need to trust me. I can handle someone like JD. I really think he just wants to hang out, otherwise I wouldn’t have agreed to anything.” My own voice sounded tired and I know my face conveyed the same feeling. I could feel the tension between us and added,

“It’s not like I'm interested in him, okay? If anything, I’d say you were jealous.” My tone was playful but Heather jumped back at that accusation. I laughed at her sudden lack of grace and she just glared back angrily.

“You’re not funny, Veronica.” She said as she looked to the side. I saw that her neck was a bit pink and I stopped my laughter. _Oh my God. Does she actually like me?_ I pondered. _No way._ I shook my head and started leaving the corner of the hallway that we had sequestered. My guilt began to build and I relented my stubbornness a little bit. I called back,

“I’m leaving now. I can’t leave the poor guy waiting. I’ll call you by 5 to let you know I’m okay. If not, then you can worry. We’re going to the nearby 7/11 to hang out.”

“Okay. Talk to you later!” She called back and I smiled to myself.

I found JD still waiting by my locker. When he noticed my approach, he gave me a smirk. We started out the doors side by side and I found myself still smiling from my encounter with Heather.

“Are you glad to ditch your friend?” He asked me. I looked sideways and my smile dropped a bit.

“No. Heather Chandler isn’t as bad as many people think. Don’t tell her I said that though. Ask her and she’ll deny having any human feelings.” I replied. JD laughed a bit and said,

“Well, if what you say is true, maybe she’ll warm up to me someday.” I joined his laughter at that because I knew that was a long shot. For some reason, she and JD didn’t seem to see eye-to-eye. When we made it to the parking lot, JD led me to his motorcycle which was, admittedly, really fucking cool.

Once at 7/11, we continued our conversation. I soon realized that it was a good thing that I had given him a chance. He was pretty funny in his own way, and I saw ourselves becoming fast friends. When we entered the convenience store, JD went straight for the slushie machine towards the back of the store. I followed him quickly, surprised by his sudden movement. After filling a plastic cup full of the sugary beverage, he looked at me.

“Do you want to get one? My treat.” He said. I nodded my head and filled my cup with cherry flavored slushie.

We spoke for a while and I ended up learning quite a bit about his life. I found out that he had moved around a lot because of his father’s demolition company. He had been to six different high schools and told me that,“Each one was the same.”

Then I learned that his mom had committed suicide after suffering from depression all of her life. He said that, “At the time, my dad hadn’t been successful with his new business and we didn’t have enough money to send her to therapy. It took a large toll on her mental health and eventually she couldn’t take it anymore.”

I didn’t push him to say anything more and I nodded my head silently. After a few quiet moments he spoke again,

“I’m sorry for dumping so much on basically a stranger.” That shook me from my silent stupor and I said,

“It’s okay. I had a feeling that you really needed to talk to someone. Thank you for trusting me with such personal information.” I gave him a small smile and he smiled back. 

“So...now that we’ve spoken a lot about me. Can you tell me about you?” He said after a few seconds.

“Sure.” I replied happily. I told him some basic stuff and we passed more time sharing stories from our high school experiences. I found myself having a great time but when I looked at the clock near the exit, I yelped. It was 5:30 and I hadn’t even noticed. My eyes shot to JD as I said,

“Where’s the payphone?” I said panicked and he said,

“Over there, by the bathroom.” I scrambled to the phone and inserted a few coins.

I put in Heather’s number and waited while it rang. It went to voicemail and I hung up. _Oh God, she’s going to kill me!_ I trudged to JD and he gave me a worried look. I started speaking but then the sound of tires squealing to a stop caused both of us to look outside. _Yep. That’s Heather’s red porsche_. I thought dully, submitting to my inevitable fate.

Heather jumped out of the car and looked around frantically. I sped to the door and then to her. Calling,

“Heather! I am so sorry, I totally lost track of time. I’m okay, I promise.” The look on her face went through a myriad of expressions. It started out worried, then confused and then hurt until finally settling on angry.

“Veronica, you are so fucked. I thought Jimmy Dean had hurt you or-or worse!” Her voice was anything but calm as she stormed toward me.

I braced for the impact of a slap or something, but instead I was wrapped in a hug. I really liked that hug. Her perfume invaded my senses and I found myself sighing in contentment. She too had let out a deep sigh, but it seemed to be that of relief. After a few moments, she broke contact to look at me. Her expression has softened some, but I could tell she was still furious. I started speaking,

“I’m so sorry! I owe you one, seriously. Is there anything I can do to make it up to?” Heather closed her eyes and calmed herself. When she opened them, she was grinning.

“Well...I have been craving barbecue Corn Nuts.” She said playfully. I nodded my head in understanding and said,

“I can fix that. I’ll be back with your snack in just a second.” I ran back to the store before she could respond with anything more.

“Wow. You and Heather Chandler seem pretty close.” I heard JD say behind me as I paid for the Corn Nuts. I turned around with a sheepish smile.

“I guess so. Hey, I’ve got to motor. I forgot that she and I had a project we had to work on today.” I lied. I could have told the truth to JD, but I didn’t want him thinking that I didn’t trust him at first. He seemed pretty sensitive despite his bad boy look and attitude.

“That’s fine. W-would you mind going to dinner with me on Friday?” He said, giving me a charming smile. I looked away, feeling awkward.

I grimaced, knowing that I would have to say no. _I’ve got to nip this at the bud._ I thought. While he was cute and I liked his personality, the spark just wasn’t there. I didn’t want to lead JD on if I knew that I wouldn’t be 100 percent interested in a romantic relationship with him. And although I didn’t want to admit it, deep down I knew that I had grown a hopeless crush on the queen bee herself. After a few moments, I made my decision. I looked at him and said,

“I’m sorry. I can’t go on a date with you, but if you want to hang out on Friday, I would be totally down.” His smile faltered and he looked me deep in my eyes. He saw his answer there as well and he replied with,

“That’s okay, it seems like you’re taken. Sure, let’s hang out, I wouldn’t mind a friend.” His voice held a bit of disappointment but I appreciated his respect for my wishes.

“If you wouldn’t mind, can I also invite my friend Martha? I’m sure you guys would get along well.” I said hopefully, but not wanting to impose too much on him.

“That sounds great, sure she can come! How about we go to the mall and hang out?” He said, excitement lacing his tone once again.

“Perfect. See you tomorrow, bye!” I yelled as I made my way out of the store.

“Bye, Veronica!” He yelled back.

I made my way over to Heather’s car, a smile plastered all over my face. When I got in, Heather huffed a bit.

“Did you have fun with your boyfriend.” She said, her voice cold. I couldn’t help but chuckle a bit. I looked over to her and said,

“He’s not my boyfriend. In fact, I just turned him down.” She let out a breath at the revelation and started her car.

“Oh.” Was all she replied with. The drive to my house was quiet but the air was still a bit tense.

When she pulled up to my house I finally handed her the two packets of Corn Nuts. She smiled down at them and looked up to me.

“Thanks. I suppose you are forgiven, but don’t scare me like that again.” She said. I nodded my head and unbuckled my seatbelt.

“Oh, before you go. There’s a party at Ram’s house that we’re all going to on Saturday. It’s your big chance to show us that you’ve got what it takes to fly with the eagles.” I began to laugh until I realized that her voice was serious.

“You can’t be serious, Heather. Me and parties? Don’t you think that’s a bad mix?”

I said, fear creeping into my voice.

“Nonsense. Me, Heather and Heather will be there to watch over you.” Said Chandler confidently. This helped calm my outright panic.

“Okay...I’ll go then. But you have to understand that I’ve never been to a party before.” I said, still nervous.

“I understand. We’ll stick together.” She said, her voice soft. I looked to her with a grateful smile and then said,

“See you tomorrow, Heather.”

“See you.” She replied.

I went right inside the house. The rest of the week passed quickly, with me worried for what was to come on Saturday.


	7. Big Fun?

When I imagined a high school party...It was certainly not like this. First off, the smell was awful. Like a mix of perfume, sweat and alcohol. I knew immediately that I was in for a long night.

Chandler had entered first, her need to be seen before anyone else shining through. I knew that her bitchy attitude was just a façade, a defense mechanism, but it was **so** authentic. I paused in the doorway for a second too long and I was gently pushed inside to make room for Heather Duke and McNamara.

Trashy music burst through the house and a tugging headache made itself known. I followed behind Chandler to another room. This turned out to be the kitchen. Heather grabbed some unopened bottles of alcohol as well as coke and orange juice. She poured out a drink for her and McNamara and threw a can of beer at Duke.

I grabbed a cup for myself and grabbed the coke. I wanted to avoid alcohol if I could, but I couldn't deny the temptation to at least try rum and coke.

"Now what do you think you're doing Sawyer?" I heard Chandler say next to me.

I set down the bottle of rum and shrugged my shoulders in defiance. I turned to her and retorted.

"You can't actually expect me to survive this hell hole without at least a little buzz." I said this as though I drank all of the time. Like I knew my limit. I didn't.

"Oh shut it, Sawyer. Give me that cup before you do something stupid." Was her reply.

Her hand reached out to my cup and I panicked. I recoiled back and did something reckless. I chugged the contents of the cup. That was a mistake. _Damn! This shit burns!_ I found myself thinking.

"Jesus Christ! You're such an airhead. No more drinks tonight. That's final." Chandler's annoyed voice sounded in my ears. I just nodded my head in reply.

After about 15 minutes, I was feeling better. Like, **a lot** better. My headache was just a dull pain in the back of my mind. Even the music had become bearable. I smiled and couldn't seem to stop. I leaned against a wall in a hallway of the house, feeling relaxed.

Ram came up to me. I huffed to myself as he approached, but my anger soon faded as I noticed he was carrying two cups.

"Hey there Veronica!" He greeted me. "Do you want something more to drink? I've got a cup with your name on it."

"Hey there Ram! Sure, I'll take a drink." I said confidently.

He handed me the cup and I took it gingerly. Looking at the contents, it appeared to only be orange juice, but I knew better. I took a slow sip at first, but soon I drained that cup of its contents in one massive draw. Ram saw this happen and laughed. He moved a bit closer and said to my ear.

"Let's go back to the kitchen and make you some more drinks, sound good?" His stinking breath hit my neck and tensed up at the sensation.

"Okay." Was my only reply.

We made our way towards the kitchen and I ended up drinking 3 more "screwdrivers" - as Ram called them - in quick succession. Soon, the world was spinning and I was laughing. I had never felt this free before.

I stumbled around the house a bit more and spotted Duke by one of the couches in the living room. I sat down next to her and shot her a bright smile.

"Hey there Duke~" I slurred to her.

She shot me a double take and sighed loudly."Dear God Veronica, Heather is going to kill you when she finds out."

"W-wait! It wasn't my fault I drank, I drank mmmore. Ram! He gave me the other, other drinks." Came my messy reply.

"Oh so he's dead too then. Just wait until she's finished with Kurt, then we can go find her."

Said Duke simply.

Then she covered her mouth. "Shit! I wasn't supposed to say that!"

I looked down to my dark blue dress. My face burning and heart aching. I knew why, but I didn't want to face it. I grabbed a half empty cup from the floor near me and downed it quickly. Hoping for the sweet release of being drunk. Well...drunk-er. 

"It's fine Duke. Say what you want. Heather has to keep her reputation up somehow." Came my melancholy reply.

I stood up and stumbled down the hallway towards a bathroom. I found it somehow and went inside. I sat on the toilet for a while after relieving my bladder, deep in drunken thought. After a few moments longer, I flushed the toilet and left.

On my way back to the couch I heard someone yell, "Get off of me!"

I stopped cold and turned towards the door to my right. _That's where that yell came from! I think I recognize that voice..._ I thought. Without hesitation I opened the door and looked in, it was McNamara with some jock on top of her.

I yelled back to the hall, "Heather! Heather needs help, like now!"

I turned back to the scene, my buzz temporarily gone with the burst of adrenaline.

I made my way to the two and said, "Get off her, you creep. No means no!"

When he didn't move from her, I tried to pull him away. He was obviously a lot bigger and heavier so it was to no avail. He just grunted and threw his elbow back. It hit me in the ribs and I cried out in pain, falling to the ground. A few moments later, I heard footsteps quickly approach the room.

"What the hell is going on here?" Came the bitchy voice of Heather Chandler.

I looked up from where I had fallen and felt an inevitable smile grow on my face. _There's nothing like having the demon queen herself on your side._ Next to Heather, there was also Kurt. Remembering what Duke has said earlier caused my smile to stiffen.

That pain was only temporary though, because Kurt came in and literally ripped the jock off of McNamara. _At least she is safe now_. I thought to myself. I moved over to her and wrapped her in a hug. McNamara was crying and shaking and this made me mad. I looked over to the piece of shit who had done this to her and scowled.

My anger was nothing compared to Chandler's though. Her face was contorted into a visage of pure fury and her next words were filled with biting ice.

"You fucked up, Brad. Kiss your social life goodbye. Come Monday, no one will want to be near you." She motioned to Kurt and he picked the kid up and shoved him through the door.

When he was gone, Duke came rushing into the room. She saw McNamara on the floor and rushed over to us. I let her pull Heather from my arms and moved back. They had known each other for a while and I knew that Duke would make McNamara feel better.

I stood up and sat back down. I felt nauseous and my whole field of view spun. I took in a deep breath and tried standing up again. I went and leaned against the wall and someone moved to help support me. 

A familiar scent of perfume filled my nose and I leaned towards it instinctively.

"Did he hurt you too Ronni?" Came a soft voice from Chandler. I looked into her striking eyes and nodded. She pulled me to her and I sighed into her body. A moment later, I felt her hands grab my shoulders and push me back.

"What's that smell?" She said to me with a hint of anger in her voice.

"Ohhh...it's nothing Heather!" I slurred. She just shook her head and sighed.

"What did I tell you!? Come on, we're getting you home." I could tell she was angry and I tried to smooth things over.

"Heyyy~ it's all fine Heather. Look I'm not drunnnk." This was accompanied with me tripping and Heather catching me just in time.

"Oh for fuck's sake Veronica. We're going home. Now." Heather grunted in reply.

We both got into her car and she made her way to my house. The ride with deathly quiet. Heather's hands were clamped onto the steering wheel and she shifted gears stiffly. I just swallowed the bile rising up my throat and tried to focus on anything but the moving scenery. Just as she started to pull up to my home, I came to the sudden realization that I could **not** return drunk.

"Heather. Heather." I repeated.

She looked at me exacerbated, "What is it Veronica?"

"I can't go home. If-if my parents find out I was drinking, I'll never be allowed out of my room." I said teary-eyed.

Heather huffed in annoyance and put her car into gear. "Where are we going Heather?" I asked.

"To my house, you can stay the night. I can't have you grounded from the Heathers, now can I?" She replied.

I nodded and closed my eyes. Another spike of nausea hitting me. Thankfully, Heather drove slowly and carefully on the way to her house. She said, "I'm only doing this so you don't puke in my Porsche." Yet despite those gruff words, I had a feeling that she was just trying to be nice.

One we arrived at her house, she got out and went to open my door. She helped me get up the stairs and threw me a pair of pajamas to change into. I shambled to the bathroom that was attached to her massive bedroom. After getting changed, I walked back into Heather's room.

I took in her grandiose sleeping space in awe. As expected, it had red accents everywhere. I looked to the bed and saw Heather already sitting there in a very revealing red robe. My mouth went dry suddenly, and I had to swallow the lump in my throat when she looked at me.

Even without makeup, Chandler was stunning. I just stared at her face unabashed for a few moments but caught myself and looked away. My face felt hot as I shifted between my two feet clumsily.

"Well, Sawyer? Are you coming to bed or not?" Chandler said, a hint of hesitation in her tone.

"Uh, yeah. Where should I sleep? Did you make me a place on the floor?" I said, still unable to look up.

"What are you talking about? Get in my bed, you pillowcase." She replied, annoyance lacing her voice.

I found my feet shuffling towards her and the nice sized bed. Her floor was covered in a comfortable rug that offered a good cushion to my feet as I moved towards Heather. I sat down next to her and we sat quietly for a moment. It wasn't awkward silence but then again, I was still too drunk to process much of anything. I continued staring at anywhere but Heather.

"It's late, we should get some sleep." She said eventually. I didn't respond, my thoughts running like molasses.

"Sawyer. Hey Sawyer." She said. I was too spaced out to hear her.

She grabbed my chin and I was forced to look back at her face. We stared at each other and a smile found itself onto my face. My eyes flicked down to her now pink lips and then back up to her eyes. She had cute freckles across the bridge if her nose and I wanted to reach out and touch them. At that thought, I couldn't stop the giggle from leaving my throat.

"You're rrrreally pretty Heather!" I slurred to her. Her face turned a bright red.

"Dear God, go lay down Veronica. You're like so drunk right now." I just laughed and leaned into her.

"Can I get a goodnight kiss?" I teased. She stood up in shock and marched to the bathroom.

Having had my fun, I moved over in the bed and got under her soft, heavenly sheets. A few moments, I felt Heather climb into bed herself as she turned off the lamp by her side. I laid in the dark for a minute and sighed in contentment. " _Her perfume is all over her sheets._ " I thought sweetly to myself.

"Can you be any more weird Sawyer? Go to sleep." Heather said into the dark.

 _Oh shit! I said that out loud._ I laughed to myself.

"Okay~, okay~, but one more thing." I said back to her.

"Get on with it." She replied.

I turned to where she was sleeping and I gave her a kiss on the cheek. "Thanks for saving me from the bigggg baddd jock at the party and letting me crashhh here."

Heather just froze up and I moved back to my spot on the bed. Soon I found myself drifting off into a deep, dreamless sleep.

———————————————————————

_Light...ugh is it the morning already? My head really fucking hurts. Came my first thoughts._

I shifted deeper into my pillow and discovered something awkward. It was not pillow that I was snuggled up against. It was Heather. I had my face nestled in the crook of her neck. Despite my embarrassment, I could help but think, _Ahhh...she's so soft and comfy._

I shifted myself even closer and closed my eyes yet again.

When I woke up a few hours later I found myself alone in the bed. I sighed deeply and looked over to Heather's bedside stand. There I found a cup of water and Advil. I took them gratefully and headed downstairs. Or at least in that vague direction.

I found my way to the kitchen by the smell. Bacon and pancakes made their way into my nose and I followed its sweet odor to its source. I was expecting a private cook or whoever rich people hired to make their food, but to my surprise, it was Heather at the stove.

I closed my hanging mouth and cleared my throat. Heather turned her head to me and gave me her authentic smile.

I smiled back and said playfully, "Who knew Heather Chandler could cook?"

"Oh gag me with a spoon, Veronica. Are you hungry?" She asked.

I nodded my head enthusiastically and turned to what appeared to be the dining room. There were already two plates set out and I sat down at the chair closest to the window and looked out to the backyard. Outside, there was a complete croquet set. It was completed with a beautiful garden and nice patio set up. It wasn't until Heather arrived with the food, that I stopped staring out the window.

"So, how is the sleeping pillowcase feeling after binge drinking last night?" Asked Heather with a smug smirk.

"Oh, I'm feeling just peachy!" I said sarcastically. We both laughed at that and then dug into our food.

After the first bite, I moaned in pleasure at the perfectly balanced and fluffy pancakes. With my mouth still full, I said, "Heather, these are the best pancakes I have ever had!"

Her face flushed a bit at the complement, but she continued eating. "Thanks." She said bashfully.

I smiled at her and we peacefully finished our delicious meal in comfortable conversation. After Heather dropped me off at my house, I went to my room and fell on my bed. My heart was full and I couldn't stop my smile. _It seems like it's not just a silly crush anymore_. I thought to myself.


	8. Big Kiss

_That goddamn bracelet. Where is it from?_ I asked myself.

I was sitting in my car, just outside a Remington party. I reached for the pocket of my red blazer laying in the passenger seat and pulled out Veronica's gift from some boy.

I twirled it around in my fingers, contemplating where it had come from. After a few more moments, I placed it back in the pocket and got out of my car.

 _I fucking hate these parties._ I thought to myself as I entered the frat house. I looked around and spotted Heather Duke by the makeshift bar and headed towards her.

"How's the party, Heather?" I asked.

"It sucks. Honestly Heather, why are we here? Heather is still not okay after the party a few weeks ago. We should be with her." She grumbled to me.

I knew that she was right. I didn't even know why I was here. I could've set up a night with the Heathers and hung out with Veronica. But I was here for a reason. Popularity.

"Okay. You know I need to do something first though, Heather. Give me some of that drink. I need to be plenty drunk first."

Heather handed me a cup full of something and I downed it quickly. I motioned for another one and drank that one too. Then, I sat down and waited for the alcohol to take effect. As I was waiting, Heather decided to talk with me.

"Heather, do you really have to do this?" She asked.

I looked up to her and shrugged my shoulders. Answering with, "I don't know. All I know is that hanging out with college students gives us status and in order to keep coming here, I have to give David a 'favor'."

We both shuddered at my last comment. It never was just a 'favor' either. Never just a one-time deal. After a few more minutes of waiting, I noticed that a good buzz had come on. I took a deep breath and stood up.

I moved around, looking for David and found him on a couch in what was usually a living room. He noticed my approach and a creepy smile grew on his face. I closed my eyes briefly and forced a smile onto my face. I stepped confidently towards him and he stood up.

"Hey, there. You're looking so good tonight. Let's get to an empty room." He said into my ear. I tensed up at his closeness and suppressed a gag at his stinking breath.

He placed his hand on the small of my back and led me to a room down the hall. When he closed the door, I heard the distinct click of a lock. This meant that I wouldn't be able to leave until the job was done. I took another deep breath and turned to him.

"Well, let's get this done with." I said as I moved towards him.

————————————————————-—-

On my way back home, I felt myself cracking. I looked to my clock in the dash and found that it was 12:30 am. _Will she even be awake?_ I asked myself as I pulled up to Veronica's house.

After putting my car into park, I pulled my keys out of the ignition. I looked back to the blazer and pulled out the bracelet again. Holding in my hands, I stared up at Veronica's window. The light was still on and I hoped that meant she was still conscious.

I needed someone to talk to now more than ever. I didn't want to stress out McNamara more and Duke was like me, hard to talk to. This left Veronica and for some reason, thoughts of her came up first anyways.

My gaze focused back on the bracelet and I gripped it tightly in my hand. I got out of the car and moved towards the side of the house where Veronica's window was. I located a few pebbles from the ground and lightly threw them at the window. I missed a bunch of times but I was able to get a few to hit the window. 

At my third success, I saw her move to open her window. She peered out, looking for the source of the strange tapping. When her eyes found mine, she smiled brightly. I smiled back, alcohol impeding my ability to keep a neutral face. I spoke first 

"What light through yonder window breaks? It is the East and Veronica is the sun." Came my slurred adaptation of _Romeo and Juliet_. 

"Okay Heather, I'll let you in. Just give me a moment." Was all she said as she closed the window.

A few seconds passed and soon I heard Veronica whisper, "Heather. Get over here, we have to be quiet."

I walked as gracefully as I could as I approached the backside of the house where I had heard her voice. When I made it through the doorway, Veronica's hands shot to my elbow and shoulder as she helped stabilize my drunken gait.

We moved as quietly as possible through the house and up the stairs. When we finally made it to her room, we both made our way to her bed and I fell onto it. We laughed a bit at my ridiculous display of grace.

"Jesus Heather, I didn't think I'd ever see you being ungraceful in any way." Veronica teased. 

"Well I'm not a robot, Veronica." I said in faux defense. 

"So, what brought the almighty Heather Chandler to my room at 1am?" Veronica asked cautiously.

My smile dropped and I looked down at the floor. I responded with, "I went to a Remington party tonight. I had to do someone a 'favor' for letting me and Heather in."

"What kind of favor?" She said, something breaking in her voice.

"Not the PG kind, that's for sure." I shuddered to myself at the thought of what I had done.

We both sat there, deep in thought. Actually, I think I was just too drunk to do much else but think of what had happened.

"I really am a slut, Veronica. The-the rumors are true, you know." I said quietly.

I remembered that I still had her bracelet and grabbed it out of my purse. I looked at it once again, transfixed by the object.

"Don't beat yourself up about it, Heather. You're a good person, just a bit ruff around the edges." Said Veronica finally.

I nodded my head slowly and looked over to where she sat. Her face looked a bit hurt and sad, but was glad that her eyes didn't hold the pity I was expecting. She leaned over and wrapped me in a tight hug. I felt myself shaking, my faltering composure lost in the moment.

"It's okay to cry, Heather. If you want to talk about it, I'm here to listen." Veronica said softly. After calming myself down a bit, it spoke.

"He-he was so rough. He n-never cares if I'm enjoying it. Usually it's j-just a hand-job or a quickie, but this time he was e-extra cruel. I was stuck in the room with no escape." I cried out into her shoulder.

"Oh my God, Heather! Why didn't you tell me you put yourself through this?" She asked.

"Well, sometimes being popular takes sacrifices." I replied bitterly.

"I know, but this is insane, Heather. There has to be another way. I hate creeps like the guy who did this to you. He's older, but obviously doesn't understand consent. He's abusing his power over you and other younger girls." Veronica said, getting angrier by the second.

I grabbed her hand and gave it a squeeze. She looked at our connected fingers and let out a strained breath. After she had calmed down a bit, I pulled out the bracelet for her to see.

"I don't know what you want me to remember. What does this thing have to do with the two of us?" I asked her in frustration. 

"Hmm...how do I put this? You gave me that a long time ago. Right before you and your family left."

I froze in place at her revelation. Her words had sparked something in my memory. Suddenly, some pieces of the past unburied themselves from my drunken mind. I looked at her and smiled.

"I think I remember a bit of that now. There's still many foggy parts but I remember meeting you. I can't believe we used to be friends so long ago." I said in awe.

"I'm glad something came back. I was worried that you had forgotten completely." She replied happily.

"I guess that means that there was no scandalous 'kindergarten boyfriend'." I laughed out. Veronica just shook her head.

We talked for a long while about the things I had begun to recall. I found myself drifting off to sleep. Eventually, Veronica handed me a shirt and a pair of shorts.

"Why don't you go get changed. I think we should head to bed now." She said quietly.

I moved to the bathroom in the hallway and I quickly changed into her clothes. I took a look in the mirror and grabbed a few makeup wipes from the counter to wipe my face clean.

When I came back into her room, I noticed a makeshift bed on the floor. Veronica was laying on them, shifting the pillow to make herself comfortable.

"I made a place on the floor so you can take the bed. You've had a hard night and I can't have a queen sleep on my floor." She said to me.

"What are you thinking, Veronica? Go and sleep on your own bed, there's room for two." I said.

She swallowed and moved from the pile of blankets on the floor. I made my way to the bed as well and we both situated ourselves comfortably on her mattress.

I snuggled under her covers and gently pushed myself closer to Veronica. We laid together in bed for who knows how long.

I didn't know if Veronica was still awake so I asked, "Are you up?"

"Yes." She replied quietly, sleep coating her tone.

I turned my head to her and stared at her face for a long while. "Thanks for listening to me." I finally said to her.

"Anytime, Heather. I know you'd do the same for me." She said, her tone tender.

I noticed how close our faces were to each other and she did as well. My heart sped up and my breath caught as I saw her eyes flick to my mouth. 

We moved impossibly closer. Just as I was about to move away in embarrassment, she closed the gap. Our lips connected cautiously at first but it was soon deepened. It felt amazing. No, more than amazing, it was incredible. Mind blowing, even. Her lips were so soft and warm.

I turned my body and she followed suit. I grabbed her waist and pulled her closer to my body. Soon, a tight feeling grew in my lower stomach. When her tongue entered my mouth, I let out a small moan. Veronica moved a hand to my hair and pulled on it slightly.

After what felt like an eternity of contentment, we pulled apart. Gasping for breath. I smiled at her and moved to capture her lips again. This time I moved to lay on top of her and her hands moved to my waist and felt up and down my body.

My lips moved from hers and trailed down her jaw to her neck. I hit a sweet spot and she pulled me closer to her, moaning out into her room. We made out for another few minutes before I adjusted myself to lay next to her again.

"Holy shit." She said. I laughed at her reaction. 

"Holy shit is an understatement. We should probably get some sleep now." I replied with a yawn.

Although I really enjoyed what had happened, I was also so tired that I was having trouble keeping my eyes open. Veronica nodded her head groggily and moved to shut off the lamp by my head. As she was pulling back, I stole a chaste kiss. Which moved to more kissing. Eventually I passed out, laid partially on Veronica and face snuggled into her neck. My arm wrapped around her waist. 

———————————————————————

The next morning felt amazing. Well, I had a slight hangover but that was on the back burner. I was cuddled up with Veronica, our limbs tangled together. My face had moved up to her hair and I smelled the distinct shampoo she used.

In the night, we had switched places. Now it was Veronica who had moved on top of me and snuggled into my shoulder. I shifted slightly, not wanting to wake her, but she just tightened her grip on my shirt. After a few moments she also moved and opened her eyes.

I moved my head and captured her lips in mine, not being able to hold back any longer. I smiled up at her and she returned it with a smirk of her own. She rested herself back on me and sighed happily.

"Good morning, pillowcase." I said to her.

"Good morning to you too, Heather." She replied. 

"You know we're going to have to get up soon, right?" I asked.

"Oh yeah, and I have to explain why you showed up in the middle of the night and stayed over." She said playfully.

"Hey, at least I'm not a boy. I think your parents would have a conniption if I was." I joked back, my tone just as playful. 

We cuddled for a few moments more. Suddenly, the sound of steps sounded down the hall. A knock sounded at Veronica's door and then it opened. We tried pulling apart as much as possible.

"Hey kiddo, are you awake-oh hey there! I didn't know someone stayed over last night. I'm guessing you're one of Veronica's friends, right?" Asked an older man. I assumed he was Veronica's father.

I shifted up in bed and smiled. "Yes, I'm Heather Chandler. Nice to meet you! I assume your Mr. Sawyer, yes?"

He nodded his head and looked over to Veronica. "Well I just came up to tell you that breakfast was ready. I think we have enough food to feed another mouth. Anyway, I'll let you guys get up."

At that, he shut the door. We looked over to each other and laughed. I got out of bed and made my way to my pile of clothes. None of it was appropriate for breakfast and I looked back to Veronica with a helpless look. She chuckled at my dismay and moved to her closet. After a few moments, she returned with a pair of jeans and a pink sweater.

I grabbed them and headed to the bathroom. After getting changed and fixing my hair, I went back to her room. She was brushing her own hair and looking in the mirror. I walked up behind her and gave her a hug. She leaned into it and I sighed comfortably.

We made eye contact through the mirror, Veronica spoke first. "So...what does this mean?" She asked.

I shook my head and replied, "It means whatever we want it to mean. We don't need to add a label if you don't want to."

She nodded her head absentmindedly. Then, she set for the brush and turned to me. "I don't know what's going to happen with this, but w-would you be my girlfriend?"

"I would love to be your girlfriend." I said smiling. I brushed my lips across her temple and pulled her closer.

I couldn't believe how I had ever denied liking Veronica, it just felt so right. After a few moments, we moved to go downstairs. Breakfast was quite eventful, this time I had to hold back two sets of questions from her parents. 

They avoided the subject of why I was here after Veronica said that, "Something had happened last night and Heather needed some support." After helping clean up, we moved to the living room and put in a movie that Veronica had rented on Friday.

We snuggled up on the couch, enjoying each other's company. I had nearly drifted off to sleep when a knock sounded at the door. Veronica moved from her spot against me and opened the front door.

I heard her greet someone, "Hey there! I'm sorry, I totally forgot we were hanging out today. No, you don't have to go. Just give me a second. Come on in."

I heard her footsteps approach me and she said, "I invited JD over the other day, do you mind if he hangs out for a bit?" She asked trepidly.

I let out a deep sigh of annoyance and nodded my head. She kissed me lightly and moved back to the entrance. A moment later, she came back with JD trailing behind her. When he saw me, he swallowed something in his throat and I gave him a smile.

"Hello there, trench coat. How are you?" I greeted in the nicest way I could muster. Which wasn't exactly welcoming. 

"Hey Heather. I'm doing good. How about yourself?" He answered, his tone just as cold.

"I'm doing great." I said smiling over at Veronica. She blushed at my attention. 

We all sat down on the couch. I positioned myself in the middle, not wanting JD to be any closer to Veronica if I could help it. Eventually we all relaxed next to each other and I realized that JD wasn't as bad as I had thought. He seemed to respect my personal space and didn't even pout when I wrapped my arm around Veronica.

After finishing the movie and another one that JD had brought along, he left. When the door closed behind him, Veronica let out a breath and looked to me.

"Thank you for trying to be nice to him." She said. "I'm proud of you."

I smiled at her complement and moved towards her. "Well, I should probably head out as well. I have homework due tomorrow and I bet you do too."

I gave her a kiss and grabbed the bracelet from my purse and handed it to her. "Here, take this. A token to remember me by until we meet again." I said.

"You're so sappy, Heather. We'll see each other tomorrow, for Heaven's sake. I didn't know you could be such a dork." She chuckled to me.

We laughed at that and I made my move to open the door. Just as my hand wrapped around the handle, Veronica pulled me into another kiss and then a hug. We stood there for a while. Finally, she let go and I opened the door.

"See you tomorrow!" She yelled to me as I made my way to the car.

"See you!" I replied and got into my Porsche. I waved to her as I put the car into gear and whispered, "I love you."

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hello everyone! I hope you are all staying safe. I just wanted to thank you all for your support. Writing this has helped me a lot during this hard time and I hope has helped you as well. 
> 
> Thank you again!
> 
> A grateful writer.


	9. Being More

When I met up with JD and Martha near 7/11, I noticed something different. They were both giving me a scrutinizing look. I stopped mid stride and decided to ask them what was the matter.

"Hey guys, what's up? Is something wrong?" I asked tentatively. They looked back to each other and nodded their heads.

JD looked over at me and replied, "Who is it?"

"What?" I said, confused.

"Who's got your heart? You have that love-sick look and now you're blushing, so spill the beans." He spoke with a grin on his face.

I took several steps back and looked down. Yes, I was blushing and no, I was not going to admit anything until I was sure Heather was okay with it. However, I could come clean to them about something else.

"Huh, looks like I was caught. Yes, I'm dating someone but I can't tell you who-"

"It's Heather Chandler, isn't it?" Martha spoke up. I stopped and slowly nodded my head.

She laughed and looked towards JD. "Totally called it." She said.

I stood there surprised and started stuttering something along the lines of, "H-how didy-you know?" 

She stopped her giggling momentarily to direct, "Anyone with a pair of eyes could see it."

"I agree with Martha here, Veronica." Added JD. "Even when we first met, I knew you were taken."

I nodded my head absentmindedly, smiling to myself as I thought of Heather. _Maybe this crush has been around longer than I believed._ I noted in my head. 

"Well, so much for trying to keep that under wraps." I muttered.

We ended up passing the time drinking slushies and listening to Martha and JD tell me all about the signs they had noticed the past month or so. Soon the discussion switched its focus to Halloween.

"So who are you planning on dressing up as, Veronica?" JD asked.

"Oh, well I wasn't really planning on celebrating this year, I've been so busy with the Heathers and all." I replied, deep in thought.

"That's too bad. Martha and I were planning on maybe trying to do a group thing, would you be interested?" He said.

"Sure, what were you guys thinking?" I spoke.

JD smiled and said, "I was thinking that maybe we could dress as characters from _Beetlejuice_. You look just like that actress who played Lydia."

I scoffed, "I do not look like Winona Ryder, but I like the idea."

"Great!" Exclaimed Martha and JD at the same time.

We laughed at that and soon it was time to head back home. When I came in, both my dad and mom were in the dining room. I walked over to them and gave each one a hug.

"Veronica, your friend Heather Chandler called earlier." My mom told me. Her tone was a bit hard but I just brushed it off as her having a hard day at work.

I moved towards the home phone on the wall and dialed in Heather's number. After a few rings, someone picked up.

"Hello?" I smiled at the familiar voice that I had grown to love.

"Hey, it's Veronica. You called earlier? What's up?" I said sweetly.

"Oh nothing much. I was actually wondering if you wanted to hang out tonight. It's Friday after all." She replied.

"Sure. Could you give me a lift though? It just started raining outside." I asked.

"No problem. I'll be there in a bit." Came her quick reply as she hung up the phone.

I burst up the stairs to my room as I yelled to my parents, "I'm going to hang out with Heather."

I threw my book bag onto the bed and rushed to get into something more comfortable than my usual Heathers uniform. A pair of jeans and my new favorite blue sweater made a perfect outfit for seeing my girl. I smiled at that, _she really is my girl now, isn't she?_

I scrambled down the stairs just in time to see the red Porsche pull up to the curb. I grabbed a black umbrella sitting by the door and opened it as I stepped outside. When I made it to Heather's car, I opened the door and sat down quickly.

I looked over to her and I felt a large grin grow on my face. "Hey there." I greeted her softly.

"Hey." She said back, her tone matching mine.

She shifted the car into gear and we made it speedily to her house in no time.

After reaching her room, I quickly shut the door and pulled Heather in for a kiss. We stayed that way for a while, enjoying each other's embrace. 

"I missed kissing you all day." Heather said breathlessly.

"Just the kissing?" I teased.

Her hands on my back moved to pull me closer then shifted down to squeeze my butt. "Well...maybe not just the kisses." She teased back. 

Having gotten tired of standing near her door, we moved to lay down on the bed together. I cuddled up with Heather, my head resting in her chest.

"I've got to tell you something." I said after a few minutes of comfortable silence.

"What is it?" She asked.

"Both Martha and JD know we're a thing." I replied quietly.

"Good. I'm glad they know." She said. I looked up to her and smiled.

"You really don't mind?" I said.

"Not at all. I would blabber about you to everyone if it were possible." She spoke lovingly. I rested my head back down on her and we stayed that way until it was time for dinner.

As per usual, Heather's parents were not present. In fact, I still hadn't met them. The dinner was set out by the house keepers and I was happy to find that they had made spaghetti, my favorite.

"Awww...Heather. That's so sweet of you. Although, I would have been happier if you had made it yourself." I quipped.

"Hey, I had been helping with dinner but someone called and had to be picked up first."She replied in defense.

We both laughed at that and sat down to enjoy the meal. After eating, we snagged a carton of ice cream and made our way to Heather's entertainment room. I got first dibs to pick out a movie, so I chose _Beetlejuice_ since it was fresh in my mind.

"You know, JD wants me to join him and Martha to dress up as characters from _Beetlejuice_ for Halloween." I said to Heather.

"Oh really? That's cool, but you have go as Lydia. You're like the spitting image of Winona Ryder." She replied happily.

"Oh no, not you too." I groaned. I honestly couldn't see the resemblance that everyone was talking about.

After the first movie, we put in _Back to the Future._ This got us really excited at the prospect of getting to see the second part of the movie later next month when it came out in theaters.

We cuddled together for a long while and eventually I asked, "What are your plans for Halloween, Heather?"

She looked down at me and shrugged her shoulders. "I don't know. I probably would go to Ram's party but...I think I'm done with parties for right now."

I nodded my head in understanding. "Well if you want to come with me and my friends to hang out on Halloween, let me know." She gave me a smile and I added. "Heather and Heather are invited as well."

"Okay, I'll think about it." She said.

After watching yet another film, we cleaned up the ice cream and food we had grabbed for our movie marathon. As we headed up to Heather's room, a thought made its way to my mind.

"Hey, Heather?" I said.

"Yes, Ronni?" She replied. I blushed at her use of the nickname.

"Do-do you think Heather and Heather know about us?" I asked delicately.

"Oh yes. Well...Heather might not, but I'm sure Heather does." She replied, deep in thought.

I assumed she meant that McNamara was the one still in the dark and when I thought about it, it made sense that Duke knew. 

"Right. Well, we should tell them anyways...right?" I said.

Heather nodded her head. "Yes, it would be best. They deserve to know."

I looked over to the clocks near her bed and saw that it was already 11pm. _Wow, time really does pass when I'm with her._ I noted. I felt a smile begin to pull at the edge of my lips. Heather noticed and chucked.

"What're you thinking about?" She said with a nudge.

"Oh only the most beautiful girl in the world." I replied, my smile growing into a grin.

"Hmmm...and this girl, what else is so good about her?" She spoke with a voice full of contentment.

"Well, she has her problems." That got me a sharp look and I continued. "But, she has a good personality. I just wish she would share it with more people. I love her careless grin and her laugh and the way her eyes light up when I say something funny."

Heather stopped laughing. She looked at me, like she really looked deeply. I saw that her eyes had started to water up, a smile stuck to her face.

"Do you really mean that?" She asked me.

"Of course I do, Heather. Don't you ever assume that I joke about my feelings for you. Even in just this short amount of time, I've realized that I really care about you." I replied.

My hand moved to cup her face. I gently tugged her face towards mine and gave her a kiss. This time, it wasn't one of raging hormones, but that of a promise. A promise that what I felt for her was real. We pulled back slightly and rested our brows on each other for a few more moments before she pulled away.

"Okay, that's enough of the sappy stuff. Let's go to bed, I want my cuddles." She said as she moved to change into her pajamas.

I was tossed a shirt and a very short pair of shorts to wear to bed. I made my way to her bathroom and changed into my nightwear. After we had both climbed into bed and the light was shut off, Heather turned towards me and gave me a quick peck on the lips. I snuggled into her and found my eyes closing as I slowly fell asleep.

———————————————————————

That Monday after school, I met up with Duke and McNamara. We all waited for Heather to finish the long conversation with her Physics teacher about her grade. When I spotted her red blazer through the crowd, the first thing I noticed was her face. Her stone mask was fully in place, her eyes hard. _I guess that talk didn't go well._ I thought to myself.

When she saw me, her expression softened somewhat but I still could see the tension in her stiff shoulders. When she finally made her way to us, most of the tension had left her body. She greeted me first, with a smile.

"Hey there, Sawyer." She said, her tone still in demon queen mode.

"Hi, Heather." I replied as nonchalantly as possible.

"How's it going Heather and Heather?" She said as her attention shifted to them.

"Oh it's going well." Said McNamara quietly.

"Fine. How about yourself Heather?" Said Duke, her voice almost colder than usual.

"I'm doing fine as well. Could do without Mr. Sanders breathing down my neck about my goddamn grades though." Chandler replied.

It was still hard to separate Heather at school and Heather when we were alone. She had this dual personality and it was rare for her to let her nicer side out among others. Sometimes I could only stare at her as my mind wondered about how she grew to have such polar personalities.

"So what's the plan for today Heather?" Asked Duke.

"I have croquet set up in my lawn, I was thinking it was about time to beat you yet again Heather." Spoke my Heather with a smile.

"Yeah, in your dreams. If I'm not mistaken, I creamed you the last time we played." Said Duke, her own smile growing.

"Oh geez, not this again." Said McNamara with an eye roll. She looked at me and giggled. "They're always like this, aren't they."

"I'm afraid so. How can we put up with them sometimes?" I replied in a mock whisper.

"You know we can hear you, right?" Said Duke.

McNamara and I looked at Duke then back at each other and began laughing.

"Alright, let's go. Veronica you're with me." Said my Heather.

I nodded silently and sat down in the passenger's seat. Duke and McNamara moved to Duke's Jeep and they climbed in. Before I could even get my seatbelt buckled, Heather was off in her usual daredevil speeds. I held onto the dash for dear life and prayed that we'd make it to her house safely.

Once we reached our destination, we waited for the other Heathers to arrive. Was it spent kissing? I mean, is that even a question? Before we went a little too far in Heather's Porsche, we pulled apart. Just in time to notice a vehicle parked behind us.

We both turned back. _Yep. That's Heather and Heather. They're laughing...great._ I thought to myself. After trying to straighten ourselves out a bit, we exited the car. My face was beet red and Heather looked to them with a sheepish grin.

"Ha! I knew it! Heather, you owe me 20 bucks." Exclaimed Duke. 

"Wait. You're not surprised?" I asked.

"Nah, have you two seen the way you look at each other? Also, Heather never spoke about any guys she liked. I kind of figured that aspect out a while ago." Said Duke.

"Was I that obvious?" Heather spoke in surprise.

"That you have a huge lady boner for Veronica? Yes." Replied Duke.

"If it makes you feel better, I was pretty surprised." McNamara spoke up. I looked over to her with a smile.

"That kind of did make me feel better. Thanks Heather." I said kindly.

"Gosh, you guys really make me feel like such a pillowcase sometimes. How didn't I see it earlier? Actually, now that I think about it, you both were pretty obvious." McNamara smiled devilishly as she corrected her previous statement.

I groaned at that revelation and looked over towards the other two. Duke's face had softened and her face held an expression of enjoyment. I was glad to see this change. When it came to Duke, her attitude could mirror that of Heather but she too was a big softie at heart. Heather herself was also relaxed, her countenance full of mirth.

Eventually, we all moved to the wonderfully cultivated yard behind Heather's house. We played a wild game of croquet and surprisingly, McNamara was the one who won in the end. The other two Heathers grumbled about the outcome. I shot McNamara an exasperated look and she just shook her head in disappointment.

For dinner, we all pitched in for pizza, too lazy to cook or get anything else. After eating and watching a few movies, I decided to ask the other two if they wanted in on the Halloween shenanigans that JD and Martha had planned.

"Would you guys like to hangout with Martha and JD for Halloween? I think we're all a bit sick of parties, don't you think?" I asked.

Everyone nodded their heads in agreement. Duke spoke up first. "A bit sick? Talk about an understatement."

"Yeah, I think I'll stay away from parties and drunk boys for that matter." Added McNamara.

"God, if I see that piece of shit around Westerberg, I'll kick his ass." Said Duke, her voice as serious as her statement.

"Oh he will never live his mistake down, I promise you that." Heather spoke up. "His reputation is ruined, not only at every other high school in this shitty town, but at the college level as well." Her tone was just as deadly as Duke's.

I thought back to that night. It was a blur, but I could never forget the fear in McNamara's eyes as that guy tried to force himself on her. _He deserves far worse than that._ I thought. _He should have been arrested._

"Okay guys, I get it. You all love me and want to defend me against any wrongdoing." McNamara spoke up again. "Let's not talk about that guy. I'd rather forget him and what happened." I looked to her hands as they fidgeted with her skirt.

Duke noticed as well and went over to her. She wrapped her in a hug and they stayed that way for a few moments. Duke murmured a few words into McNamara's ear and she slowly calmed down.

"Heather is right. Let's forget that creep." My Heather said tentatively.

"Yeah, I think we should all head back home now, it is a school night after all." I added.

As Duke and McNamara left, I heard Duke shout, "We'd love to hang out with your other dorky friends for Halloween!"

I laughed at that and turned to Heather. "I guess I better motor home myself. My mom has been getting annoyed by how much I hang out with you guys." I spoke, my own tone showing annoyance.

"Alright, I'll give you a ride. Sound good?" Heather asked.

"Yeah, I'd love that." I replied with a smile.

I gave Heather a kiss as I exited the car, promising to call her tomorrow morning if I needed a ride. My mom opened the door as I stepped into the house and she said something that chilled me to the bone.

"Veronica, we need to talk."

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hey there! 
> 
> I am SO sorry for the late update. I've been crazy busy trying to finish school. I have also been trying to come up with a good way to continue the story. Have patience and I promise to work diligently to finish this story in a timely manner. I thought I'd add some more fluff into the chapter and I hope you like it. Let me know what you all think! 
> 
> Thank you to everyone!


	10. Broken Relationships

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hey, I just wanted to add a bit of a trigger warning. This chapter has homophobia and shitty parents.

I stood, frozen in place in front of the doorway. My eyes wide and mouth agape. The words " _Veronica, we need to talk._ " Echoed in mind.

"Uhh...what is it mom?" I asked in full on panic mode.

"You seem awfully close with that Heather girl who dropped you off." She said, her voice hard.

"Oh yeah, Heather has been really great." I spoke without thought. A smile started to grow on my face as I thought of her.

"Well, I don't like her. I think she's a bad influence. You need not to be careful around girls like her. She'll push you to drink and do things with boys." My mom warned.

I laughed inwardly at that. _She may be right about the whole drinking thing but...she has no idea what's coming, does she_? I thought to myself.

"Okay mom, I'll be careful. I promise." I replied.

"No. I don't think you understand. I want you to stop hanging around her." My mom spoke.

My sweet smile froze on my face. "What?" I asked quietly.

"You heard me Veronica." Was all she said in reply.

"You can't do that. She's my friend."

"I am your mother. Yes I can."

My mind was reeling. I couldn't believe what my mom was asking of me. _Never see Heather again? No, it's not possible._ I thought to myself.

"No." I said curtly.

"What? Veronica, I am your mother. If you are to live under this roof, you need to do as I say. I am trying to do what is best for you."

"No you aren't. You don't understand. Heather is my-" I stopped mid-sentence. Frozen in horror at what I had almost said.

"Huh? Veronica, what's going on?" She asked, her voice full of suspicion. I had stood up from my place on the couch and began to move towards the door.

When I didn't answer, my mother stood and I saw something change in her expression. "She really has been a bad influence." She spoke. Her voice was cold. "So that's why you've been around her so much. She's seduced you to sin."

My mouth dropped open at that. My mother had never spoken in such a manner. I was scared, no, terrified, at what she would do next. I grabbed my shoes and put them on. My hand flew to the door handle.

"I-I need to go." I stuttered out.

"What? Where?"

"Anywhere away from you." I spoke as I passed through the front door.

"Veronica!" My mom yelled somewhere from behind me.

I sped down the street, not sure about where I would go. I thought about who was closest to me. After a short moment of deliberation, I realized that Martha's house was quite close. I made my way in that direction.

Soon, I noticed the distinct green roofing and white exterior of my best friend's home. In fact, it had a frightening resemblance to the house in the horror movie _A Nightmare on Elm Street._

I stepped up to the front door and knocked. After a few seconds, someone opened the door. It was Martha's dad, Henry Dunnstock. He was a tall man with a heavy build. His curly brown hair had started to recede these past couple of years and grey had popped up around his temples. Looking up into his brown eyes, I appreciated that he was like another father to me. 

"Why, hello there Veronica!...Hey, what's wrong?" He asked after seeing my tear-stained face. 

"Umm...I had a fight with my mom. Is Martha home? I need to talk to her." I spoke, trying to keep my voice clear.

"Sure, I'll go get her. Come on inside." He replied calmly, his bushy eyebrows scrunched together in worry.

I stood by the door, deep in thought. I was interrupted by Martha's exclamation. "Oh my god, Veronica! What happened? Are you okay? Oh geez, of course you aren't. Do you wanna talk?"

"Yeah, I need to talk. But...could we go to your room first?" I spoke quietly.

"Of course! Let's go."

Once I had sat down on her bed and drank a bit of water that her dad had brought, I told Martha about my fight with mom.

"She really said that!? I am so sorry that happened to you, 'Ronica." Martha said in horror.

"I was worried about what she would do next. My only thought was that I needed to get out of there." I spoke, my voice finally breaking.

I cried and cried. That shit-storm of a conversation had revealed some things about my mom that I didn't want to believe. She had been so supportive through much of my life that I couldn't reconcile my mom with the person I saw earlier.

Through it all, Martha hugged me. She supported me when my own mother had called my love for Heather a sin. After a good cry and a shower, I fell asleep on the make-shift bed on Martha's floor.

In the morning, I changed into some clothes I had left at Martha's during our many sleepovers together. Martha's father dropped us off at school with instructions that I call him if I needed anything.

At my locker, I noticed something strange. The door was slightly ajar. I put in my combination and pulled at the handle. Tons of papers fell out and the word, 'Dyke' was written in bold, black marker throughout several places in my locker. I looked down at the papers and picked one up. I almost cried out in horror.

It was a issue of the school paper. On the front page was a photo of Heather and I kissing in her car a week or so ago. In the corner of my eye I saw others begin to pick up the paper. I froze in place, not sure of what to do.

Before I could process what had happened, someone slammed my locker shut and grabbed my arm to pull me along the hallway. I was about to struggle when I noticed the flash of red and a familiar scent fill my senses.

We sequestered ourselves in one of the emergency stairwells of the school. I turned to look at Heather's face and froze. Her hair was quite disheveled and she appeared to be covered in some sort of red paint. Her mascara had started to run a bit.

I reached for her face tentatively. I began to wipe away the tears that had started to fall. She leaned into my touch and I pulled her in for a kiss followed by a tight hug.

After a few moments of silence only broken by her sobs, I asked "What happened?"

"Well, I went by your house to pick you up. When you didn't call, I just assumed you had slept in as usual."

I froze at this revelation. My eyes shot to hers and what I saw there only confirmed my worse fears.

"I knocked on the door and your mom answered. When she realized it was me, she started yelling about how I had 'tainted' her daughter. She was about to hit me when your dad stepped in."

I covered my mouth in alarm. I knew that my mom had been upset but she was never violent. _What the hell is going on?_ I thought in disbelief about what had occurred. I pulled Heather into another hug.

"I am so sorry! I should've called you last night. She tried to tell me that I couldn't see you anymore and I let slip that we were together. This is all my fault." I said crying.

"It's not your fault, 'Ronni. Not yours or mine. Hey, hey, it's okay." Heather cooed.

She rubbed a hand up and down my back to try and calm me down. After few minutes, I calmed down enough to speak again. "Then what happened?"

"As if my morning wasn't already shitty enough...at school, I went by my locker. When I opened the door, red paint came spilling out as did a few school papers with a photo of us kissing. After I realized what was going on, I ran to find you right away."

I nodded my head at what she had told me. I felt quite numb inside.

"What happened to you?" She asked me. I relayed what had gone on last night and what had been put in my locker.

"I am so sorry about your mom. What she did was shitty. And whoever did this stupid prank is going to get it, they won't know what hit them." Said Heather, her voice laced with fury.

I grabbed her hand and she looked down at our interlocking fingers. She let out a deep sigh.

"What are we going to do?" I whispered.

"We are going to own our relationship and show the naysayers that they are wrong."

I gasped at those brave words that came from Heather. She looked confident. Even with her hair and make up all frazzled and covered in red paint. We gave each other strength, and strength was what we would need to face the vicious student body good ol' Westerburg high. 

I grabbed her hand and we both stood up. Together we made our way back out into the hallway.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hello everyone! I am very sorry about the really late update. It is a bit shorter than usual but I wanted to give you guys something to read. I had to focus on finishing my classes and I just got a job so...things are hectic right now. But, I have more free time now so that means more updates! 
> 
> Thank you for your patience!


	11. Update!

Hey everyone,

I am so sorry for not updating! Life has been pretty stressful lately since I've started working. However, I do have good news...I've started writing the next chapter for this story! It should be out within the next couple of days. Don't worry, I haven't abandoned this story and I do plan on completing it.

Thank you for your patience!

Author.


	12. Being There for Each Other

_This is going to be a lot harder than I thought it would be._ I said to myself as Veronica and I exited the school after the longest day of our lives.

For me, it wasn't just the hurtful comments spewed at us from other students that wore me down. The most disgusting effect of being outed to the entire school was all of the lewd comments made by some of the guys about how "hot it is to see two girls kiss" or "we should totally have a threesome."

My hand around Veronica's tightened a bit at the thoughts of what had transpired the past 6 hours. She squeezed my hand lightly in return and looked up to me. I smiled the best I could and we made our way to my car.

I didn't even have the energy to be surprised or angry when I saw what had happened to my Porsche. The word "Dyke" was written in shitty handwriting across my windshield. Eggs had also been thrown and splattered all across the body of the car and some people even had the audacity to stick used chewing gum directly onto the paint.

I sighed in resignation and made my way to enter the car, too tired to do anything. After I removed enough of the writing on the windshield to see through it, I looked over to Veronica. She had been scarily quiet the entire day and I could tell that her interaction with her mom had taken its toll. "Hey, how are you holding up?" I asked her hesitantly.

I was scared for Veronica. She hadn't really seemed like herself the entire day. We both entered the car and I tore out of the parking lot as soon and I could start the car and put it into gear.

After a minute of silence, Veronica replied to my question. "I'm not doing great...obviously." 

"You're right, that was a stupid question." I conceded as I glanced over at Veronica.

"I never thought that there would be so many lewd comments. I was expecting more violence or something."

"Well it was disgusting. Despite everything though, I feel like I deserve it." My voice grew quieter as I spoke.

I thought about all of the terrible things I had done to my fellow peers. I too had harassed the few students that had come out at the school. I was not innocent. Maybe this was me getting back all of the karma I owed.

As Veronica paused to come up with a response, I continued to focus on the road. I knew that my expression most likely conveyed my mixed feelings. The rest of the drive was silent. When I pulled up to Martha's house, she took a deep breath and spoke.

"I know you haven't been the best person in the past but that doesn't mean that others get a free pass to be terrible. We're all damaged, we're all frightened, we are all human. You are not the same Heather Chandler from a few months ago, you have grown so much. I've seen how hard you've been working to improve yourself and become a kinder person. You deserve happiness too, Heather."

When she finished speaking, she gently wiped away the tears that had begun to fall down my cheeks. Words could not describe how I felt at that moment. I was stunned into silence. As I tried to pull my mind together, Veronica leaned in and placed a gentle kiss on my lips.

I smiled as we pulled apart but in my mind, I knew I shouldn't have said anything. Veronica already had too much on her plate, my feelings of pity for myself shouldn't be another burden for her. I promised myself to to bring it up to her again until things were more stable.

As I looked at Veronica, I spoke the only words that I could think of, "I love you."

Veronica beamed back at me. After sharing another kiss, she moved to get out of the car and I decided on something. As I reached for her hand, she looked back at me. I took a shaky breath.

"Would you want to go out with me on Friday? We haven't gone on a real date yet. Do you maybe want to go see a movie?"I asked, still scared of rejection despite what Veronica had just said.

"I would love to." She replied with her face lighting up again. Seeing her momentarily excited for something brought a smile of my own to my face.

"Great! Well, see you tomorrow?" I said with a grin.

"Yes. If you want, you could pick me up to take me to school." She said.

"I suppose I could stop by here in the morning, Sawyer." I spoke in my signature tone, feigning nonchalance. Veronica moved to exit the car.

"Oh stop it, you big goof. I'll see you tomorrow. I love you too!" She yelled as she headed towards the house.

"Love you even more!" I responded, starting up my car.

I couldn't have stopped myself from smiling all the way home, even if I had tried.

———————————————————————  
  


The rest of the week was a rinse and repeat of our first day of being outed to the entire school. Luckily, the more annoying pranks subsided and all that was left was the hateful comments and stares. I think that my position as the head bitch of the school had softened the blow somewhat, but it was still a shitty existence.

 _Is this what it felt like for the other outed kids that I helped torture?_ I thought to myself many times throughout each day.

I still believed that I deserved this somehow. That all of the horrible things I did to others was now coming back tenfold. I wouldn't have minded taking my karmic retribution or whatever, if not for the fact that Veronica had to experience it too.

On Friday, both Veronica and I got ready to go out to see "Halloween 5," a fitting movie for the Halloween season. I was personally dreading to see a horror movie but I sucked it up and bought the tickets anyway.

About halfway through, I became glued to Veronica's side. She found my entire demeanor hilarious and had a hard time keeping quiet. By the end, I felt like I had lost 5 years off my life and Veronica looked almost recharged from the experience.

After the movie, we went to get something to eat and even stopped by an ice cream parlor for dessert. Soon, the terror of Mitchel or whoever that scary guy was in the movie, moved to the back of my mind. After few more hours, we got in my car to head home.

The next day, I picked Veronica up again to head to the mall. We made our way around the stores looking for clothing for our Halloween costumes. The holiday was set for the following Tuesday so we didn't have much time to get prepared.

After spending way too much time shopping around for the supplies we needed. We made our way back to my house to start putting together the costumes. An entire afternoon later, we had finished.

I was going to go as "Miss Argentina" which meant we had bought out all of the green skin paint at a Halloween store. Despite saying the opposite, I was honestly excited about dressing up. I hadn't really had an excuse to be creative with my costumes in high school. Why spend time on something that would probably just get ripped off by some horny teenage boy?

Veronica's costume was the easiest to put together. Once we found a black wig big enough to style, everything fell into place. The black dress was easy enough to find and we found the choker quickly enough. After finishing, we ordered Chinese food and sat down to watch a video I had rented.

Our cuddling session was interrupted by the ring of the house phone. I moved to get up, grumbling to myself about stupid calls at 8pm on a Saturday. When I answered the phone, I was surprised to hear the voice of Mr. Sawyer.

"Is this Heather Chandler?" He asked, his voice strained.

"Yes." I replied simply.

"Great...H-how is Veronica?" He asked nervously.

"I would say that she hasn't been doing so well since her family decided to kick her out." I replied in an icy voice. I heard a deep sigh from the other line.

"O-okay, I'm glad to hear she is at least alive and safe. The reason I called you I'd because I need you and Veronica to come by the house tomorrow morning at 9." He said.

Feeling suspicious I asked, "Why?"

"It will be when my wife is at mass. I want to give Veronica some cash and clothing. It's the best I can do until I can convince Lynda to allow Veronica back home." He spoke with desperation.

I huffed in annoyance. "Fine. We'll be there."

"Thank you. You have no-" I hung up the phone and turned back to the living room.

When I sat down on the couch again, Veronica asked, "who was that on the phone?"

I took a deep breath. I could lie to her and say it was a dumb salesman but, she needed to know the truth.

I said, "It was your dad. He wants us to come by your house tomorrow morning to pick up your clothing and give you some money."

Veronica froze at the mention of her dad. She looked so sad and her shoulders slumped from the weight of the situation. Not knowing what else to do, I went over and enveloped her in a hug. After a few moments, she relaxed into my embrace and I felt her release a sigh.

"If you don't want to see your dad, I could just go by there myself and grab your things." I offered.

"...No. I need to see him. I need to see him, look him in the eye and confirm something." Veronica said.

"What do you need to confirm?" I asked.

"I want to know if he believes what my mom says. And if not, I want to know why he didn't speak up." She replied.

I nodded my head in understanding. As she spoke, the short conversation between her father and I replayed in my mind. I didn't feel like it was my place to decide whether or not her father was worth redeeming. However, the fact that he had bothered to call in the first place was a sign that at least he somewhat cared for his only daughter.

After allowing her some time to process what had happened, we spent the rest of the night together. We talked and enjoyed the time we had alone with each other. Soon, Veronica fell asleep next to me on the couch and I moved her to my bed. As I laid down next to her, she moved to snuggle next to me. I smiled down at her and slowly drifted off to sleep.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> A/N:
> 
> Guess who's finally gotten their shit together enough to update this? I hope everyone is doing well! I have had some very eventful past couple of months. However, I didn't forget about this and I'm still planning on finishing. I don't know how often my updates will be since the school year has begun, but I promise to try my best. Stay safe out there!


	13. Another Update

Hey there everyone! 

I wanted to let you know that I am putting this story on an official hiatus. I really do intend to finish this story but I am experiencing some major writers block. Every time I sit down to write this story, it feels like a chore. However, I will be writing another Chansaw fic to help me flesh out new ideas and to get some creative juices flowing. I know how frustrating it must be, but I think I need to try something new. I am so sorry for making you all wait! 

\- Author

**Author's Note:**

> Hey there! Please let me know what you think about this. I constantly go back and edit things because I am a perfectionist, so I'm sorry it that confuses you if some things change in the chapters. I am open to constructive criticism and please point out any grammatical errors so that I can fix them. Thank you!


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